Trying to hold down two jobs at once ended up landing one City of Austin employee in hot water.
In an investigation report, the City’s audit department found that Richard Anderson, a division manager in the Development Services Department, used a work computer and government email for his outside job.
The investigation began after the auditors received a tip in January last year.
Anderson’s department is responsible for ensuring that builders follow city codes, and for assisting contractors and homeowners as they perform construction.
But instead of spending his time doing so, Anderson was lending his expertise to outside clients, teaching continuing education classes for a professional organization. Auditors found 59 emails on Anderson’s city email account to and from staff at the professional organization he taught for, as well as 44 documents on his city computer.
According to an investigative report by the city audit department, “When we spoke with Anderson, he admitted to using his City computer and email for secondary employment out of ‘ease.’”
“He acknowledged that he knew that using his City computer for secondary employment was not something he should be doing. Anderson also admitted to taking his City computer to use at classes he taught in person ‘once or twice.’”
City employees are allowed to use city facilities, equipment, and supplies in only a limited or de minimis manner for personal reasons and convenience.
The use is considered de minimis only if it does not interfere with or impede the job performance or productivity of the city employee, and if it is too small, minor or insignificant to have an economic impact, among other criteria, according to city policy.
Anderson left his job at the City of Austin in July 2019. He did not dispute the findings of the audit report, saying in an email to a city investigator, “I have no objections to what is in the report.”
