Legal Definitions - jobbery

Jobbery refers to the unethical practice of using a position of public authority or influence to unfairly benefit oneself, one's associates, or specific private interests, rather than serving the public good.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a city council member who uses their influence to push for a public works contract to be awarded to a construction company owned by their close relative. This occurs despite other companies submitting more competitive bids that would offer better value or quality for the taxpayers.

  This is an example of jobbery because the council member is perverting their public duty—to secure the best possible outcome for the city—to serve a private end, specifically the financial gain of their relative's company.

• Consider a senior manager at a state-funded agency responsible for procurement. This manager consistently directs the agency's purchasing orders for office supplies and equipment to a vendor owned by a personal friend, even though other vendors offer lower prices or superior products.

  This situation demonstrates jobbery as the manager is misusing their public position and the agency's resources to unfairly benefit a private interest (their friend's business) over the public's interest in efficient and cost-effective procurement.

• Suppose a high-ranking official in a government regulatory body, whose role is to oversee environmental standards, makes decisions that consistently relax regulations for a specific industry in which they hold significant personal investments.

  This illustrates jobbery because the official is using their public authority to serve their private financial interests, potentially at the expense of environmental protection and fair regulatory enforcement for all businesses.