PRC ethics survey yields interesting results

Even Public Regulation Commission officials admitted that the information they likely would get from a survey of agency employees about ethics might not be the most flattering.

Whether they expected the results to show that 85 percent of those polled had seen unethical behavior at the agency in the past year, or that about half had been asked to do something unethical by a supervisor is unknown. What is known is that training is coming to the beleaguered agency.

The survey is just the tip of the iceberg, though, in terms of information that some say could fix up the PRC. The agency today plans to release some of the comments that employees wrote on their surveys. Still, the agency plans to black out some information, making many wonder what there is to hide.

Here's a look at the survey's raw data, as provided by the PRC.

WHAT IS ETHICS
1.  What does the word "ethics" mean to you?
	see surveys
2.  Do you think you could spot potential problems with ethics in the Agency?
	yes	106	no	6
3.  Have you observed any ethical issues/violations at the Agency within the last year?
	yes	100	no	17
4.  Does management provide adequate information/training on ethical issues?
	yes	14	no	106
5.  Do you feel that as an employee of the PRC your are aware and understand what "ethical" rules
the staff and the Commissioners need to follow?
	yes	78	no	35
6.  Have you ever received any training from management at the PRC regarding what is ethical and
what is not in your position?
	yes	24	no	92
7.  Have your ever been asked to do anything you felt was unethical by someone who has
supervisory or managerial power over your position at the PRC?
	yes	51	no	50
8.  Do you think that there is a different ethical standard for Commissioners,
exempt employees and classified employees?
	yes	97	no	24
PERCEPTION
1.  How do you think the PRC is perceived by the public?  Rate on a scale of 1-5
1		2			3				4			5
3		3			13				33			70
Ethical											Unethical
2.  How do you think the PRC is perceived by the regulated entity?  Rate on a scale of 1-5
1		2			3				4			5
1		10			37				31			39
Ethical												Unethical
3.  How do you think the PRC is perceived by the employees?  Rate on a scale of 1-5
1		2			3				4			5
3		4			22				30			62
Ethical												Unethical
4.  Please rank the following issues in order of which of the issues raises the greatest concern to you as related topics at the PRC.
	#1 would be of the most concern to you and needs the most improvement,  #2 second most etc.
			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
Political Partisanship			45	18	18	5	6	5	5	5	2	5
Personal use of state time			22	10	12	22	16	8	6	2		8
Influence by regulated industries			21	9	8	13	10	12	13	10	1	8
Hiring and promotional practices			73	23	13	6	1	1	1			3
Use of computers and state equip			11	7	4	3	15	13	18	17	2	9
Unequal treatment of employees			49	24	14	10	3		1			5
Expense reporting			18	5	3	5	16	13	16	16	2	10
Time reporting			17	7	8	8	10	19	7	16		7
Other		***
			*** 22 see comments
CONFIDENTIALITY
1.  Would you feel comfortable reporting unethical behavior by an employee if you were told
it would be kept confidential?
	yes	38	no	81
2.  Do you feel that you could confidentially discuss concerns with someone in this Agency?
	yes	31	no	84
SITUATION QUESTIONS - These are hypothetical
1.  Your supervisor asks you to look the other way when he/she allows another employee to
take off early every day and not report it on their timesheets.
	ethical	1	unethical		125				I don't know			4
2.  Your boss takes you out to lunch.
	ethical	61	unethical		19				I don't know			25
3.  A regulated entity tells you that they will buy you dinner if you fast track their paperwork.
	ethical	0	unethical		117				I don't know			2
4.  An employee of a regulated entity asks you out on a date.
	ethical	19	unethical		54				I don't know			30
5.  Your friend asks you to get their paperwork due to the PRC processed more quickly that the regular guy.
	ethical	11	unethical		95				I don't know			7
6.  A regulated entity takes you out to dinner and you pay for yours.
	ethical	77	unethical		22				I don't know			15
7.  Working against the PRC agenda at the Legislature on work time.
	ethical	5	unethical		91				I don't know			10
8.  Helping a regulated entity to get copies of the documents they need that have been filed in a case file.
	ethical	43	unethical		45				I don't know			18
9.  A member of a regulated entity asks you to pass on confidential case information.
	ethical	2	unethical		105				I don't know			9
10.  An employee does not report time they have taken off on their time sheet.
	ethical	1	unethical		113				I don't know			16
11. An employee is consistently taking more than one hour for lunch and not reporting it.
	ethical	2	unethical		98				I don't know			16
12.  A Commissioner asks you to do a special favor for a regulated entity.
	ethical	5	unethical		85				I don't know			23
13.  A fellow employee is working for a regulated entity as a second job.
	ethical	6	unethical		73				I don't know			22
14.  An employee of a regulated entity gives you a kitten.
	ethical	32	unethical		31				I don't know			52
15.  An employee of the PRC gives an employee of a regulated entity a car.
	ethical	15	unethical		78				I don't know			23
16.  An employee is passing on false information about a fellow employee in order to keep
them from getting a promotion.
	ethical	1	unethical		100				I don't know			2
17.  Volunteering to work on a Commissioner’s campaign.
	ethical	38	unethical		35				I don't know			36
18.  Employees are taking walks together and visiting during their lunch hours.
	ethical	99	unethical		2				I don't know			7