The Legal Advisories page contains the DAEOgrams on substantive ethics issues published by OGE from 1992 to 2010, the Advisory Opinions published by OGE from 1979 to 2010, and the Legal Advisories, which OGE began publishing in 2011.
OGE believes a Government employee should be allowed to use reasonable periods of official time to complete a financial disclosure report because completion of the report is a requirement of the Government position. For the same reason, assigning a subordinate to complete the report is not an improper use of Government position or resources.
OGE determined that, although an employee would violate 18 U.S.C. § 205 if he represented taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, 18 U.S.C. § 205 does not prohibit an employee from assisting another in preparing their income tax returns.
Whether military Reservists and National Guard members may use official time and Government equipment at their civilian Federal positions depends upon whether the agency has authorized such use.
OGE addresses the ethics issues raised by the participation of executive branch employees in a golf tournament that was held simultaneously with an annual conference of Federal Government employees.
The ethics laws and regulations do not preclude an employee from serving in a leadership position with a private partisan organization provided the employee does not take actions while serving that violate an ethics provision, such as 18 U.S.C. § 205.
Multiple ethics and non-ethics issue arise when a former Government employee proposes to have a nonprofit organization which he founded enter into an agreement with his former agency to coordinate the agency's anniversary celebration.
The Standards of Conduct (5 C.F.R. part 2635) prohibits executive branch employees from personally using public office for private gain, and may not use federal property for other than authorized activities. Decisions as to exceptions to this rule are within the Department's discretion.
The Standards of Conduct prohibit a Federal employee from soliciting funds or services from representatives of companies doing business with the Federal Government and using those funds for purposes of the private organization.
A Federal employee is free to participate in nonprofit organization programs as an uncompensated speaker, instructor or panelist in his personal capacity, whether or not the organization is charging a fee for attendance. Employees may not use or permit the use of their official title, position, or authority to further interests.
This list is open only to federal government employees.
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