On Friday, February 24, the Board of Ethics issued a significant new advisory opinion. You can read the redacted copy of the opinion, Case No. 17003.A

The Board determined (among other things) that individuals who are City Council employees,” which includes individuals paid through an independent contract by aldermen or City Council committees, are “employees,” not “contractors,” for purposes of the Ethics Ordinance. The importance of it is that an alderman’s, ward office’s, or City Council committee’s “contract employees” are subject to the substantive restrictions in the Ethics Ordinance as though they were “employees.” This means the gift restrictions, the conflicts of interest restrictions, the nepotism restrictions, etc. apply to them.