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-2- <br /> Food and drink for such functions are typically provided by voluntary <br /> contributions of either the food and drink directly, or by modest <br /> contributions to a fund for this purpose. To the extent that such <br /> functions are organized in a cooperative manner and on a voluntary <br /> basis among co- employees, and to the extent that the duration or <br /> frequency of such events is not such as to interfere in an office's <br /> functioning, or with employees' performance of their official duties, the <br /> Commission is of the opinion that such functions do not result in any <br /> violations of the Code of Governmental Ethics. <br /> However, when employee participation in such events is not <br /> on a purely voluntary basis, a violation of Section 1116 will arise. <br /> Section 1116, which is titled "Abuse of office," provides as follows: <br /> "1116. Abuse of office <br /> No public servant shall use the authority <br /> • of his office or position, directly or indirectly, in a <br /> manner intended to compel or coerce any person or <br /> other public servant to provide himself, any other <br /> public servant, or other person with any thing of <br /> economic value. This Section shall not be <br /> construed to limit that authority authorized by law, <br /> statute, ordinance, or legislative rule in carrying <br /> • out official duties . " <br /> When a function is organized by a department's supervisory <br /> personnel on a department -wide basis, and where the purpose of the <br /> function is primarily to serve significant numbers of persons who are <br /> not agency personnel, a violation of Section 1116 of the Code may be <br /> virtually impossible to avoid. Supervisors should be sensitive to the <br /> fact that, because of the relationship they normally have with any <br /> employee under their supervision, that requests by them of their <br /> employees inherently involve elements of compulsion, although the <br /> degree to which compulsion is present probably would vary depending <br /> rr vi <br />