Ethics Commission Offices Remain Closed During Extended Shelter in Place Public Health Order; Daily Operations are Continuing with Phone, Email and Online Assistance

April 29, 2020

The City and County of San Francisco has issued an extended Public Health Order requiring that residents remain in place, with the only exception being for identified essential needs and limited outdoor activities in compliance with specified requirements, until at least May 31, 2020. This measure is necessary to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community. The Order originally went into effect at midnight on Tuesday, March 17 and will now be effective until at least May 31, 2020, or until it is further amended or extended.

The extended shelter in place order requires San Franciscans to remain at home and exempts only identified essential needs, limited outdoor activities, and essential government functions that are addressed in the Public Health Order.

As a result, the physical offices of the Ethics Commission will remain closed for the duration of the Public Health Order until at least May 31, unless otherwise noticed. The regular monthly meeting of the Ethics Commission scheduled for Friday, May 8^th has been cancelled. The Ethics Commission remains open for business and staff continue to assist with filing guidance, online disclosure tools and resources, advice, and compliance assistance, among its other duties.

Please note that the filing deadlines to file the Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests and to complete the Sunshine and Ethics training have been postponed to June 1^st. For more information please review this compliance guidance.

During this period, Commission staff continue to monitor and respond to phone inquiries, emails, and online submissions as needed. Those who contact the Commission may experience wait times for responses to requests. We appreciate your ongoing flexibility and patience in helping to support government transparency and compliance during this difficult and unprecedented public health emergency.

Please feel free to contact the Ethics Commission with any questions at ethics.commission@sfgov.org or at (415) 252-3100, or visit the Commission’s website at sfethics.org.

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To stay informed about the latest news on COVID-19, visit sfdph.org and sign up for the City’s alert service for official updates by texting COVID19SF to 888-777.