Why did the City of San Jose create a Whistleblower Hotline?
The City of San José has a responsibility to conduct its affairs ethically and in compliance with the law, and we are very proud of our employees and the high-quality services we provide to the community. In order to ensure that we maintain and improve on the quality and integrity of our services, it is important that we provide employees and the public with various methods to express concerns.
What types of complaints should be made?
The City of San José created the Whistleblower Hotline to provide the public and employees with an opportunity to express concerns such as:
Theft or misuse of City resources (e.g., cash, equipment, supplies, or materials)
Using one's position with the City for personal gain
Use of City equipment or property for non-City business
Falsifying financial records to cover up theft
Falsifying payroll information
Submitting false vouchers for reimbursement
Conducting personal business on City time
Abusing the system of travel reimbursement
Intentionally misrepresenting the costs of goods and services provided
Receiving favors for awarding contracts to certain vendors
Soliciting or accepting a bribe or kickback
Purchase of unneeded supplies or equipment
Abusing the workers' compensation system
How do I make a complaint?
Call the Whistleblower Hotline at (408) 535-8200. Callers may leave a voicemail after hours.
City of San Jose
Whistleblower Hotline
200 E. Santa Clara Street, 3rd FL. Wing
San Jose, CA 95113-1905
What information should I include in my complaint?
In order for a thorough investigation to be completed, the following information should be included, if applicable:
Date and Time Incident Occurred
Suspected Person(s) Involved
Description of Complaint (What, where, when, how and who else may be aware of the incident) Your Full Name, Phone Number or Email Address (if you wish you remain anonymous, please see Frequently Asked Question titled "Can I submit an anonymous complaint?")
Additionally, you should state the facts with as much specific information as possible so that your complaint can be investigated. You should not speculate or draw conclusions, and should be prepared to answer any questions an investigator may have.
What happens to my complaint?
The Whistleblower Hotline will gather sufficient information from the caller/complainant in order to determine the appropriate action needed. Callers/Complainants may remain anonymous, but we ask that they keep in contact with the Whistleblower Hotline if additional questions arise.
Can I submit an anonymous complaint?
Yes you can submit an anonymous complaint to the Whistleblower Hotline. Caller ID has been disabled for the Whistleblower Hotline. However, we ask that anonymous callers contact the Whistleblower Hotline back within a couple of weeks, so that any follow-up questions may be asked. Additionally, you could also set up an anonymous email address so that we may be able to contact you at any time.
Also, if you wish to remain anonymous you can choose to send a letter by mail, submit a complaint online or send an email. If no future way of contact is established, we will not be able to contact you to request additional information or to follow-up with you when the investigation is complete. If you choose to email hotline@sanjoseca.gov, send the email from a non-City computer.
If your complaint was not made anonymously, your confidentiality will be honored to the extent permitted by law. Your identity will, of course, be known to those investigating the complaint with a legitimate need to know in order to carry out an investigation. Release of your identity may be required pursuant to a subpoena or in other circumstances where the City is required by law to release information. In addition, you should also be aware that your public testimony might be needed to prove the case against the accused.
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