Policies

Audit Law 

• R.S. 24:523.1 - All Auditees shall post the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Notice on Fraud, Waste, and Abuse on their website. 

Open Meetings Law 

R.S. 42:19(A)(2)(a) – All public bodies are required to post a copy of their written notice of meetings under the Open Meetings Law on their website no later than 24 hours before the meeting (exclusive of weekends and legal holidays). 
R.S. 42:20(B)(2) – All Public Bodies shall post their written minutes within 10 days of publishing in their Official Journal (those not required to publish in the Official Journal must do so within a reasonable time) 

Open Meetings Law – Declared Emergencies and Disasters 
• R.S. 42:17.1(B) – All public bodies conducting meetings via teleconference or videoconference during a gubernatorial declared emergency or disaster shall publish on their website within 24 hours of the meeting: (1) notice and agenda for the meeting, including a certification by the presiding officer that the meeting is limited to one of the matters cited in R.S. 42:17.1(A)(2); and (2) detailed information regarding how members of the public may participate in the meeting and submit comments regarding matters on the agenda. 

For additional information, including sample certification language, please see Q.25 and Q.26 of the LLA’s Open Meetings Law FAQ. 

Ad Valorem Taxes / Roll Forward 

• R.S. 47:1705(B)(2)(c)(ii)(aa) – Recipient bodies of Ad Valorem taxes shall publish notice of public hearing regarding roll forward on its website on the date of the first publication in the Official Journal and remain posted until action is taken to approve or disapprove or abandon action on roll forward increase. 

Public Bid 

R.S. 38:2212(E)(7) – Requires that public entities post all “bidding documents” on the electronic website accepting electronic bids on public works contracts. 
R.S. 34:3523(C)(1) – Requires ports to post notice of intent to select a design-builder for design-build services on their website (in addition to their Official Journal) when utilizing the design-build method. 

Collective Bargaining Agreements 
• R.S. 44:67.1(A) – Requires publication on public employer website for at least 5 days prior to acceptance and ratification of any collective bargaining agreement to which a public employer is a party. 

Parish Registrar of Voters

R.S. 18:51.1(B)(1) – Requires a parish governing authority to post notice of upcoming appointment of a registrar of voters on its website, if it has one. 

R.S. 18:1309.1(A)* requires the registrar of voters to post at his offices adequate notice of the date, time, and place at which the voting machines will be prepared for early voting and to post the same information on his office’s website, if possible. 

*Added by Act 381 of the 2021 Regular Session (Effective June 17, 2021). 

Sexual Harassment 

• R.S. 42:343(D) – Requires that the agency head of a government entity (State or local) ensure that a copy of the public entity’s sexual harassment policy and complaint procedures are prominently placed on the entity’s website, or in a prominent location if the entity does not have a website. 

• 3.20 Anti-Harassment and Retaliation Policy

Harassment of employees, applicants and citizens on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, religion, age, disability or any other legally protected characteristic is prohibited. Supervisory or managerial personnel are responsible for taking proper action to end such behavior in their workplace. Positive action will be taken to insure that all employees comply with the effort to make our work environment free from harassment.  

• 3.21 Prohibited Conduct

1. Verbal.         Epithets, slurs, jokes, negative stereotyping, and comments which are insulting, degrading, or not flattering regarding a person's sex, nationality, ancestry, race, marital status, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or other protected characteristic. 
2. Non-verbal.  Distribution, display or discussion of any written or graphic material that ridicules, denigrates, insults, belittles, or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of sex, nationality, ancestry, race, marital status, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or other protected characteristic.  This includes calendars, clothing, music, cartoons, photographs, magazines, newspapers, drawings, posters, e-mails, and text messages.

Sexual harassment does not refer to behavior or occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. 

• 3.22 Prohibited Sexual Conduct

Examples of prohibited sexual conduct are:

1. Verbal: Sexual innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions, lewd remarks, or threats. Requests for any type of sexual favor (this includes repeated, unwelcome requests for dates). Verbal abuse or "kidding," which is oriented towards one sex or is based on sex.
2. Non-verbal: The use, distribution, display, or discussion of any written or graphic material, including calendars, posters, cartoons, clothing, music, photographs, magazines, newspapers, drawings, e-mails, and  text messages that are sexually suggestive, or show hostility toward an individual or group because of sex; suggestive or insulting sounds; leering; staring; whistling and obscene gestures.
3. Physical: Unwelcome, unwanted physical contact, including but not limited to, touching, tickling, pinching, patting, brushing up against, hugging, cornering, kissing, fondling, forced sexual intercourse, or assault.  Normal courteous, mutually respectful, pleasant, non-coercive interactions between employees, including men and women, that are acceptable to and welcomed by both parties are not considered to be harassment.

• 3.23 Complaint Procedures

Any employee who feels that they have encountered sexual, racial, religious, age, disability, or other prohibited discrimination or harassment, or feels that they have been retaliated against should contact the Personnel Director or the Mayor immediately.  The Human Resource Director, the Mayor, or their designee, will process all complaints and will be responsible for coordinating investigations.  All employees are required to cooperate in all investigations.

Employees are encouraged to utilize this Complaint Procedure.  All complaints and investigations will be kept as confidential as possible, and no employee will be penalized or retaliated against because of use of this procedure. This complaint procedure may be used by any employee who feels they have been penalized or retaliated against for using this procedure, for filing any type of legal claim, making a complaint or report, participating in an investigation, or for any other reason, should use this complaint procedure.