Former state worker fined for hiring daughter

Andrea Lombard, a former Department of Public Health employee, paid a $2,500 penalty to the Office of State Ethics for violating the Code of Ethics when she used her state position in the hiring of her daughter for a temporary summer position, and for failing to disclose the conflict of interest.

The code’s Section 184 states in part: “No public official or state employee ... shall use his public office or position ... to obtain financial gain for himself, his spouse, [or his] child . ... ”

In 2018, Lombard, as part of her official state duties, was responsible for hiring several outside consultants to temporary administrative positions for the summer.

Lombard directed an outside vendor to hire her daughter to one of the four open positions, and after her daughter was hired, she maintained a supervisory role over her daughter for the duration of the summer.

The code also required Lombard, when faced with a potential conflict of interest, to prepare a written statement signed under penalty of false statement describing the matter requiring action and the nature of the conflict.

Lombard was then required to deliver a copy of the statement to her immediate superior. However, Lombard failed to prepare or deliver a conflict of interest disclosure with respect to the hiring and supervision of her daughter.

“Whenever a state employee uses his or her state position for personal financial gain, or the financial gain of a family member, it undermines the integrity of state government and encourages a cynical view of public service,” said Peter Lewandowski, executive Director of the Office of State Ethics.