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DHS Policy: Oregon Department of Human Services
Administrative Services
 
Policy Title: Conflict of Interest - Child Support Program
Policy Number: DHS-060-030
Version:
2.0
Effective Date:
 04/28/2005

Approved By: DHS Chief Administrative Officer
Approved Date: 04/28/2005



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Overview

Description: Defines Conflict of Interest for the purpose of Child Support Program cases. Describes when a DHS employee must report a potential conflict of interest with a child support case.

Purpose/Rationale: The Department of Justice has requested that DHS take action steps in conducting public business to avoid misperception of bias when handling Child Support Program cases.

Applicability: All DHS Staff

Failure to Comply: Violation of this policy may result in discipline up to and including dismissal.

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Policy

  1. General
    2.
    1. Department of Human Services employees are required to notify their supervisor when the individual employee has a potential conflict of interest with a Child Support Program (CSP) case. Notification must be in writing using the DHS 0429 (Notice of Conflict of Interest with a Child Support Program Case).
    2. "Conflict of interest" means that a CSP case may receive, or have the appearance of receiving, biased treatment if the employee has access to or continues to have access to the case.
  2. Accessing CSP Cases Involving Friends, Relatives or Acquaintances
    3.
    1. A conflict of interest arises when an employee has been working on a case, or is assigned a case, and the case is either a CSP case or a case with linkages to a CSP case that involves a friend, relative, acquaintance, etc.
    2. The DHS employee must report this to their manager in writing using the DHS 0429.
    3. It is a violation of this policy for a DHS employee to knowingly access the CSP case file of a friend, relative or acquaintance using CSP computer screens or other records available to them as DHS employees.
  3. Accessing Own CSP Case
    1. DHS employees shall not access their own CSP case file using CSP computer screens or other records available to them as DHS employees.
    2. Any DHS employee who has their own CSP case and who has access to CSP screens must notify their supervisor of their case using the DHS 0429.
      1. This requirement applies for open CSP cases that are in the Oregon CSP system.
      2. This requirement also applies for closed cases that are in the Oregon CSP system except when the child(ren) on the case are over 18 years of age, no arrears are owed and the case was closed more than five years from the date the client is reporting the conflict of interest.
      3. In some cases, a worker may not be sure whether their child support case is in the CSP system, the date the case was closed or whether arrears are still owed.
      4. When a worker is unsure, the worker should report the case as a conflict of interest.
    3. Under no circumstances, may a worker access their own case file using CSP computer screens or other records available to them as DHS employees in order to determine this information.
    4. It is a violation of this policy for a DHS employee to access their own case file using CSP computer screens or other records available to them as DHS employees.
  4. FAQ on Accessing Own CSP Case:
    1. QUESTION: May a DHS employee use the Division of Child Support website from home or from a non-DHS computer (example: personal computer at home) to access information about their own CSP case?

      ANSWER: Yes.

    2. QUESTION: May DHS employees use CSP or other DHS screens available to them as DHS employees to access information about their own CSP case?

      ANSWER: No.

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Procedure(s)

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Form(s)

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Reference(s)

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Definition(s)

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Contact

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Policy History

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Oregon Department of Human Services
500 Summer St. NE E25, Salem, OR 97301-1098
Phone: (503) 945-5944
Fax: (503) 378-2897
TTY: (503) 947-5330