| Request for an Advisory Opinion from the Office of the City Attorney for the City of Shreveport relative to five city employees being awarded compensation for their appearance and participation in CBS' Undercover Boss. |
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Representatives of the television show Undercover Boss expressed interest in having Adrian Perkins, Mayor of Shreveport appear in an episode. Out of hundreds of potential employees, the following five employees of the City of Shreveport were chosen to present their personal stories:
- Dylan Mills, employed as a firefighter with the Shreveport Fire Department;
- Gerald Brown, employed as a Rec Center Manager with the Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation;
- Hope Scott Pouncey, employed as a sanitation worker with Shreveport Public Works;
- Jason Cook, employed as a police officer with the Shreveport Police Department;
- Mary Reed, employed as maintenance with the Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation.
The involvement of the five employees with Undercover Boss occurred outside of their normal work time and each employee received a $200 compensatory payment for time missed at work.
As customary for Undercover Boss, program participants learned on the final day of filming that they were rewarded for their contribution and value added to the show through the sharing of their candid, individual stories of triumph and hardship.
Third parties provided the awards to be given at a later date to the five employees as follows:
- Dylan Mills will receive $4,000 towards his children's college fund, $500 for hotel accommodations and 2 tickets to a New Orleans Saints game, and $200 compensatory payment for time missed at work.
- Gerald Brown will receive $10,000 toward a family vacation and $200 compensatory payment for time missed at work.
- Hope Scott Pouncey will receive $2,500 for trip to Las Vegas to visit son and $200 compensatory payment for time missed at work.
- Jason Cook will receive $2,000 for son's college fund and $200 compensatory payment for time missed at work.
- Mary Reed will receive a four-year scholarship at Louisiana State University Shreveport (valued at $36,000), $6,000 to repair trailer home roof, and $200 compensatory payment for time missed at work.
In exchange for advertising or other exposure on the episode of Undercover Boss, the following donors provided the rewards to be given to the employees:
- Ivan Smith Furniture
- Rhino Coffee
- LSUS Foundation
- Walk-Ons Restaurant
The private donors do not have nor are they seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the City of Shreveport, nor do they conduct operations or activities which are regulated by the City of Shreveport, nor do they have substantial economic interests which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employees' official duties.
In June 2019, the Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation Department purchased furniture from Ivan Smith Furniture for $2,308.82, but there are no open purchase orders nor active solicitation for purchases.
Mayor Adrian Perkins will receive no compensation for his participation in the television program.
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La. R.S. 42:1111A(1)(a) prohibits a public servant from receiving anything of economic value, other than compensation and benefits from the governmental entity to which he is duly entitled, for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of his office or position.
La. R.S. 42:1115B(1) prohibits a public employee from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any thing of economic value as a gift or gratuity from any person or from any officer, director, agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person conducts operations or activities that are regulated by the public employee's agency.
La. R.S. 42:1115B(2) prohibits a public employee from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any thing of economic value as a gift or gratuity from any person or from any officer, director, agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person has a substantial economic interest which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's official duty.
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To be determined at the Board Meeting.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Greg Thibodeaux |
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