Enforcements for Department of Transportation

Violation: An Avalanche Forecast and Control Specialist 4 – Supervisor with the Washington State Department of Transportation, agreed that they may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act by using state resources for private benefit or gain. Evidence indicated that they used their state email account for their outside homeowner’s association (HOA) work, saved several HOA related documents on their state computer and browsed the internet for personal reasons.

Result: An agreed Stipulation and Order was entered on May 12, 2023, imposing a civil penalty of $4,000 with $1,000 suspended.

Violation: A Maintenance Superintendent with Washington State Department of Transportation, may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act by receiving a special privilege from another employee when that employee issued a Commercial Driver Training Employer Certification to their son.

Result: An agreed Stipulation was approved on May 11, 2018 imposing a civil penalty of $2,000 with $1,000 suspended.

Violation: A Bridge Engineer with the Department of Transportation agreed that they may have used state resources to support two outside business activities.

Result: An agreed stipulation was approved on May 12, 2017 imposing a civil penalty of $4,000 with $1,000 suspended.

Violation: Director of Operations, Washington State Ferries, may have violated several sections of the Ethics in Public Service Act by allowing their spouse to use a ferry pass when they no longer had the privilege to do so and when they took time off to attend a golf tournament without submitting the proper leave and allowing their subordinates to do the same.

Result: An agreed Stipulation was approved on January 12, 2018 imposing a civil penalty of $6,000 with $2,000 suspended.

Violation: An employee of the Department of Transportation may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they used state resources for personal benefit. Evidence indicated that they used the states' computer system to promote their book, including adding a graphic and a direct link to a shopping website where people could purchase the book, in their official WSDOT signature block.

Result: Settlement approved on September 12, 2014 for a civil penalty of $3,000 with $1,000 suspended.

Violation: An employee of Washington State Ferries may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they used state resources to conduct union business.

Result: Settlement approved on January 10, 2014, of a Letter of Instruction.

Violation: An employee of Washington State Ferries may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they used state resources to conduct internal union business.

Result: Settlement approved on January 10. 2014 of a Letter of Instruction.

Violation: An employee of the Department of Transportation may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act by using state resources for personal gain when they used their state computer during breaks and lunchtime to read and edit a novel they were writing and sent and received 1,618 personal emails over a period of six months.

Result: Settlement approved on March 16, 2012 for a civil penalty of $4,000 with $2,800 suspended.

Violation: A Department of Transportation employee may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act by using their agency issued cell phone and their SCAN code to make personal phone calls.

Result: Settlement approved on June 13, 2008 for a Civil penalty of $500 with $250 suspended.

Violation: A Washington State Department of Transportation team leader may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they used their state computer to create and send personal emails, access internet sites of personal interest and personal email account and store personal documents and hundreds of pictures and images.

Result: Settlement approved on September 14, 2007 for a Civil penalty of $2,500 with $1,000 suspended.

Violation: A former Department of Transportation employee violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they used their state computer to pursue personal interests and non-work-related activities.

Result: Final Order approved on September 8, 2006 for a Civil penalty of $2,000.

Violation: A Department of Transporation employee may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they used state resources to send or receive email and repeatedly visited websites unrelated to their official duties. Inappropriate use continued after being directed by the agency to stop such conduct.

Result: Settlement approved on November 8, 2002 for a Civil penalty in the amount of $2,500 with $1,400 suspended.

Violation: A Department of Transportation, Washington State Ferries employee may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they approved vendor payments on a number of billings while the employee and the vendor were engaged in a business relationship.

Result: Settlement approved on October 10, 2003 for a Civil penalty in the amount of $1,500 and an additional $1,000 in investigative costs.

Violation: A Department of Transporation Aviation Director may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they sent personal email messages and created personal documents using state owned equipment.

Result: Settlement approved on November 30, 2000 for a Civil penalty in the amount of $250. The Board also issued a Letter of Instruction.