On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. As a result of this decision, federal ethics rules will now apply to employees in same-sex marriages in the same way that they apply to all married employees.
The ethics rules affect married employees in a number of ways. If you are required to file a public or confidential financial disclosure report, you must include your spouse’s finances on your next report. In addition, your spouse’s financial interests are treated as if they were your own under the conflict of interest laws. For example, you may not work on any assignments that will affect your spouse’s financial interests.
Although the criminal conflict of interest statutes and the financial disclosure reporting requirements do not apply in the same manner to employees in domestic partnerships or civil unions, employees in domestic partnerships or civil unions might still be disqualified from working on assignments affecting their partners or members of their households.
If you have any questions about the ethics rules that apply to married employees, please contact your agency’s ethics office.