(a) Proscribed actions. An employee shall avoid any action, whether or not specifically prohibited by the regulations in this part, which might result in, or create the appearance of:

(1) Using public office for private gain;

(2) Giving preferential treatment to any person;

(3) Impeding Government efficiency or economy;

(4) Losing independence or impartiality;

(5) Making a Government decision outside official channels; or

(6) Affecting adversely the confidence of the public in the integrity of the Government.

(b) Applicability to members of families of employees. A U.S. citizen employee shall take care that certain responsibilities placed on the employee are also observed by members of the employee's family. These are the restrictions in regard to: Acceptance of gifts (§§ 1203.735-202 and 1203.735-203); economic and financial activities abroad (§ 1203.735-206); teaching, lecturing, and writing (§ 1203.735-204(c)); participation in activities of private organizations (§ 1203.735-211(c)); and political activities abroad (§ 1203.735-211(g)).

(a) Acceptance prohibited. Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, an employee shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan, or any other thing of monetary value, from a person who:

(1) Has, or is seeking to obtain, contractual or other business or financial relations with the employee's agency;

(2) Conducts operations or activities that are regulated by the employee's agency;

(3) Has interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's official duty; or

(4) Appears to be offering the gift with the hope or expectation of obtaining advantage or preferment in dealing with the U.S. Government for any purpose.

(b) Acceptance permitted. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to:

(1) Gifts, gratuities, favors, entertainments, loans, or any other thing of monetary value received on account of close family or personal relationships when the circumstances make it clear that it is that relationship rather than the business of the persons concerned which is the motivating factor;

(2) Acceptance of loans from banks or other financial institutions on customary terms to finance proper and usual activities of employees, such as home mortgage loans;

(3) Acceptance of unsolicited advertising or promotional material, such as pens, pencils, note pads, calendars, and other items of nominal intrinsic value;

(4) Acceptance of rates and discounts offered to employees as a class.

(c) Acceptance permitted for IDCA employees. For IDCA employees the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to: Acceptance of food and refreshments of nominal value on infrequent occasions in the ordinary course of a luncheon or dinner meeting or other meeting or on an inspection tour where an employee may properly be in attendance.

(d) Acceptance permitted for AID employees. For AID employees the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply in the following situations:

(1) Acceptance of food, refreshments, or entertainment of nominal value on infrequent occasions offered in the ordinary course of luncheons, dinners, or other meetings and gatherings hosted by foreign governments or agencies and officials thereof, embassies, and international organizations, where the primary purpose of the function is representational or social, rather than the transaction of business. Where the primary purpose of the function is the transaction of business, acceptance is not permitted, except if there is justification and reporting in accordance with paragraph (d)(4) of this section.

(2) Participation in widely attended lunches, dinners, and similar gatherings sponsored by industrial, technical, and professional associations for the discussion of matters of mutual interest to Government and industry.

(3) Acceptance of food, refreshments, or entertainment in the unusual situation where the employee, by virtue of the location of the person, firm, corporation, or other entity, or the regulations governing its dining facilities, finds it inconvenient or impracticable not to accept the offer. Each case of acceptance shall be reported in accordance with the requirement of paragraph (d)(4) of this section. In no other case shall employees accept food, refreshments, or entertainment from private corporations, entities, firms, or individual contractors at occasions which are other than widely attended functions whose purposes are unrelated to Agency business.

(4) In exceptional circumstances where acceptance of food, refreshments, or entertainment is not authorized by paragraphs (d) (1), (2), and (3) of this section, but where, in the judgment of the individual concerned, the Government's interest would be served by such acceptance directly or indirectly from any foreign government, agency, or official thereof or a private person, firm, corporation, or other entity which is engaged or is endeavoring to engage in business transactions of any sort with AID, an employee may accept the offer: Provided, That a report of the circumstances, together with the employee's statement as to how the Government's interests were served, will be made within 48 hours to the employee's supervisor, or, if the employee is serving abroad, or on temporary duty abroad, to the Mission Director.

(e) Gifts to superiors. An employee shall for a gift to an official superior, make a donation as a gift to an official superior, or accept a gift from an employee receiving less pay than the employee (5 U.S.C. 7351). However, this paragraph does not prohibit a voluntary gift of nominal value or donation in a nominal amount made on a special occasion such as marriage, illness, or retirement.

(f) Neither this section nor § 1203.735-204 precludes an employee from receipt of bona fide reimbursement, unless prohibited by law, for expenses of travel and such other necessary subsistence as is compatible with this part for which no Government payment or reimbursement is made. However, this paragraph does not allow an employee to be reimbursed, or payment to be made on the employee's behalf, for excessive personal living expenses, gifts, entertainment, or other personal benefits, nor does it allow an employee to be reimbursed by a person for travel on official business under agency orders when reimbursement is proscribed by Decision B-128527 of the Comptroller General dated March 7, 1967.

An employee shall not accept a gift, present, decoration, or other thing from a foreign government unless authorized by Congress as provided by the Constitution and in 5 U.S.C. 7342, and the regulations promulgated thereunder pursuant to E.O. 11320, 31 FR 15789. These regulations are set forth in part 3 of this title (as added, 32 FR 6569, Apr. 28, 1967), and in 3 FAM 621.

(a) An employee shall not engage in outside employment or other outside activity not compatible with the full and proper discharge of the duties and responsibilities of Government employment. Incompatible activities include but are not limited to:

(1) Acceptance of a fee, compensation, gift, payment of expense, or any other thing of monetary value in circumstances in which acceptance may result in, or create the appearance of, conflicts of interest; or

(2) Outside employment which tends to impair the employee's mental or physical capacity to perform Government duties and responsibilities in an acceptable manner.

(b) An employee shall not receive any salary or anything of monetary value from a private source as compensation for the employee's services to the Government (18 U.S.C. 209).

(c) Employees are encouraged to engage in teaching, lecturing, and writing that is not prohibited by law, the Executive order, this part, or the agency regulations. However, an employee shall not, either for or without compensation, engage in teaching, lecturing, or writing including teaching, lecturing, or writing for the purpose of the special preparation of a person or class of persons for an examination of the Civil Service Commission or Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service, that is dependent on information obtained as a result of Government employment, except when that information has been made available to the general public or will be made available on request or when the agency head gives written authorization for use of nonpublic information on the basis that the use is in the public interest. In addition, an employee who is a Presidential appointee covered by section 401(a) of the Executive order shall not receive compensation or anything of monetary value for any consultation, lecture, discussion, writing, or appearance the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the employee's agency, or which draws substantially on official data or ideas which have not become part of the body of public information. Employees are referred to the detailed rules of their agency with respect to clearance and acceptance of compensation (See AID Handbook 18)

(d) [Reserved]

(e) An employee shall not render any services, whether or not compensated, to any foreign government, state, province, or semigovernmental agency, or municipality of any foreign government, or to any international organization of states. However, this shall not prevent the rendering of such services by employees acting on behalf of the United States. Nor shall this provision prevent the rendering of services to an international organization of states when otherwise consistent with law and when authorized by the appropriate officer. The appropriate officer for IDCA is the Assistant Director for Administration.

(f) [Reserved]

(g) This section does not preclude an employee from:

(1) Participation in the activities of national or State political parties not proscribed by law.

(2) Participation in the affairs of or acceptance of an award for a meritorious public contribution or achievement given by a charitable, religious, professional, social, fraternal, nonprofit educational and recreational, public service, or civic organization.

(a) An employee shall not: (1) Have a direct or indirect financial interest that conflicts substantially, or appears to conflict substantially with the employee's Government duties and responsibilities; or

(2) Engage in, directly or indirectly, a financial transaction as a result of, or primarily relying on, information obtained through Government employment.

(b) This section does not preclude an employee from having a financial interest or engaging in financial transactions to the same extent as a private citizen not employed by the Government so long as it is not prohibited by law or the regulations in this part.

(c) Pursuant to the provision of 18 U.S.C. 208(b) the following described financial interests of an employee are hereby exempted from the requirements of 18 U.S.C. 208(a) and 208(b)(1) as being too remote or too inconsequential to affect the integrity of the services of an employee. The exemption applies to the financial interests held directly by an employee, by the employee's spouse or minor child whether individually or jointly with the employee, or by an employee and any partner or partners as joint assets of the partnership:

(1) Investments in State and local government bonds; and stocks, bonds, or policies in a mutual fund, investment company, bank or insurance company, provided that in the case of a mutual fund, investment company, or bank, the fair value of such stock or bond holding does not exceed one percent of the value of the reported assets of the mutual fund, investment company, or bank. In the case of a mutual fund or investment company, this exemption applies only where the assets of the fund or company are diversified; it does not apply where the fund or company specializes in a particular industry or commodity.

(2) Interest in an investment club or other group organized for the purpose of investing in equity or debt securities: Provided, That the fair value of the interest involved does not exceed $10,000 and that the interest does not exceed one-fourth of the total assets of the investment club or group. Where an employee covered by this exemption is a member of a group organized for the purpose of investing in equity or debt securities, the interest of the employee in any enterprise in which the group holds securities shall be based upon the employee's equity share of the holdings of the group in that enterprise.

(3) If an employee, or the employee's spouse or minor child has a present beneficial interest or a vested remainder interest under a trust, the ownership of stocks, bonds, or other corporate securities under the trust will be exempt to the same extent as provided in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section for the direct ownership of such securities. The ownership of bonds other than corporate bonds, or of shares in a mutual fund or regulated investment company, under the trust will be equally exempt and to the same extent as under paragraphs (c) (1) and (2) of this section.

(4) If an employee is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of an educational institution, or if the employee is negotiating for, or has an arrangement concerning prospective employment with such an institution, a direct financial interest which the institution has in any matter will not itself be exempt, but any financial interest that the institution may have in the matter through its holdings of securities issued by business entities will be exempt: Provided, The employee is not serving as a member of the investment committee of the institution or is not otherwise advising it on its investment portfolio.

(5) An employee may continue to participate in a bona fide pension, retirement, group life, health or accident insurance plan, or other employee welfare or benefit plan that is maintained by a business or nonprofit organization by which the employee was formerly employed. Such financial interest in that organization will be exempt, except to the extent that the welfare or benefit plan is a profit-sharing or stock-bonus plan and the employee's financial interest thereunder exceeds $10,000. This exemption extends also to any financial interests that the organization may have in other business activities.

(d) Nothing in this part shall be deemed to prohibit an employee from acting, with or without compensation, as agent or attorney for the employee's parents, spouse, child, or any person for whom, or for any estate for which, the employee is serving as guardian, executor, administrator, trustee, or other personal fiduciary, except in those matters in which the employee has participated personally and substantially as a Government employee, through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or otherwise, or which are the subject of the employee's official responsibility, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 202(b): Provided, The head of the employee's division approves in writing.

(a) Prohibitions in any foreign country. A U.S. citizen employee abroad is specifically prohibited from engaging in the activities listed below in any foreign country.

(1) Speculation in currency exchange.

(2) Transactions at exchange rates differing from local legally available rates, unless such transactions are duly authorized in advance by the agency.

(3) Sales to unauthorized persons (whether at cost or for profit) of currency acquired at preferential rates through diplomatic or other restricted arrangements.

(4) Transactions which entail the use, without official sanction, of the diplomatic pouch.

(5) Transfers of funds on behalf of blocked nationals, or otherwise in violation of U.S. foreign funds and assets control.

(6) Independent and unsanctioned private transactions which involve an employee as an individual in violation of applicable control regulations of foreign governments.

(7) Acting as an intermediary in the transfer of private funds from persons in one country to persons in another country, including the United States.

(8) Permitting use of one's official title in any private business transactions or in advertisements for business purposes.

(b)-(c) [Reserved]

(d) Business activities of non-U.S. citizen employees. A non-U.S citizen employee abroad may engage in outside business activities with the prior approval of the head of the overseas establishment on the basis of the standards expressed in § 1203.735-204(a).

An employee shall not directly or indirectly use, or allow the use of Government property of any kind, including property leased to the Government, for other than officially approved activities. An employee has a positive duty to protect and conserve Government property, including equipment, supplies, and other property entrusted or issued to the employee.

For the purpose of furthering a private interest, an employee shall not, except as provided in § 1203.735-204(c) directly or indirectly use, or allow the use of, official information obtained through or in connection with Government employment which has not been made available to the general public.

An employee shall pay each just financial obligation in a proper and timely manner, especially one imposed by law such as Federal, State, or local taxes. For the purpose of this section, a just financial obligation means one acknowledged by the employee or reduced to judgement by a court or one imposed by law such as Federal, State, or local taxes, and “in a proper and timely manner” means in a manner which the agency determines does not, under the circumstances, reflect adversely on the Government as the employer. In the event of dispute between an employee and an alleged creditor, this section does not require an agency to determine the validity or amount of the disputed debt.

An employee shall not participate, while on Government-owned or leased property or while on duty for the Government, in any gambling activity including the operation of a gambling device, in conducting a lottery or pool, in a game for money or property, or in selling or purchasing a numbers slip or ticket. However, this section does not preclude activities:

(a) Necessitated by an employee's law enforcement duties; or

(b) Under section 3 of Executive Order 10927 and similar agency-approved activities.

(a) Definition. For the purpose of this section, the term private organization denotes any group of persons or associations organized for any purpose whatever, except an organization established by the Government of the United States, or officially participated in by IDCA.

(b) Participation in activities of employee organizations. An employee may join or refrain from joining employee organizations or associations without interference, coercion, restraint, or fear of discrimination or reprisal.

(c) Participation in activities of private organizations. In participating in the program and activities of any private organization, an employee shall make clear that the employee's agency has no official connection with such organization and does not necessarily sponsor or sanction the viewpoints which it may express.

(d) Legal restrictions on membership in certain organizations. An employee shall not have membership in any organization that advocates the overthrow of our constitutional form of Government in the United States, knowing that such organization so advocates (5 U.S.C. 7311, 18 U.S.C. 1918).

(e) Private organizations concerned with foreign policy or other matters of concern to agencies. (1) Limitation on participation. When a private organization is concerned primarily with foreign policy or international relations or other matters of concern to an employee's agency, an employee shall limit connection therewith as follows: Unless specifically permitted to do so, the employee may not serve as advisor, officer, director, teacher, sponsor, committee chairman, or in any other official capacity or permit the employee's name to be used on a letterhead, in a publication, in an announcement or news story, or at a public meeting, regardless of whether the employee's official title or connection is mentioned. The provisions of this section are not intended to prohibit the normal and active participation of an employee in professional organizations such as the American Political Science Association, the American Economic Association, the American Foreign Service Association, and similar organizations, since such participation is in the interest of both the employee and the Government. Employees are expected, however, to exercise discretion in such activities and are held personally accountable for any improper use of their relationship with IDCA.

(2) Request for special permission. Special permission to assume or continue a connection prohibited by paragraph (e)(1) of this section may be granted in cases where the public interest will not be adversely affected. To request such permission, or to determine whether the provisions are applicable to a particular case, the employee shall address a memorandum setting forth all of the circumstances to the appropriate officer. The appropriate officer for IDCA is the Assistant Director for Administration.

(3) Application to senior officers. Because of the prominence resulting from their official positions, chiefs of mission and other senior officers should recognize the particular bearing of the provisions of paragraph (e)(1) of this section upon their activities. They should restrict association with any organizations involving foreign nations and the United States to simple membership and should not accept even honorary office in such organizations except with the specific prior approval as provided in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.

(f) Private organizations not concerned with foreign policy. When the purpose and program of the organization do not fall primarily within the field of foreign policy or international relations, the employee's activity is limited only to the following extent:

(1) The employee's official title or connection may be used to identify the employee, as in a civic association election, but may not be used on a letterhead, in a publication, or otherwise so as to employ the prestige of the U.S. Government to enhance that of the organization or to imply official sponsorship.

(2) When the employee is a representative of an association consisting of IDCA employees, or of a group of such employees, the employee's connection with the agency may be freely used so long as there is no implication of official sponsorship beyond that which may have been officially approved.

(g) Political activities abroad. A U.S. citizen employee shall not engage in any form of political activity in any foreign country.

(h) Activities relating to U.S. politics. The law (5 U.S.C. 7324, formerly the Hatch Act) provides in summary that it is unlawful for any Federal employee of the executive branch to use the employee's official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the result thereof, or to take any active part in political management or in political campaigns. These restrictions do not in any way affect the right of a Federal employee (1) to vote as the employee chooses; (2) to express personal political opinions, except as part of a campaign; (3) to make or refrain from making contributions to political organizations, provided contributions are not made in a Federal building or to another Federal officer or employee (see 18 U.S.C. 602, 603, 607, and 608); (4) to participate in local, nonpartisan activities.

(a) An employee of the Foreign Service may not wear any uniform except as may be authorized by law or as a military commander may require civilians to wear in a theater of military operations (22 U.S.C. 803). When an employee is authorized by law or required by a military commander of the United States to wear a uniform, care shall be taken that the uniform is worn only at authorized times and for authorized purposes.

(b) Conventional attire worn by chauffeurs, elevator operators, and other miscellaneous employees are not considered uniforms within the meaning of this section except that, for ICA, MOA VII 917.2b prohibits the purchase from Agency funds of uniforms or any item of personal wearing apparel other than special protective clothing.

(a) Making recommendations in official capacity. In general, an employee shall not, in the employee's official capacity, make any recommendations in connection with the employment of persons unless the position concerned are with the Government of the United States and the recommendations are made in response to an inquiry from a Government official authorized to employ persons or to investigate applicants for employment. A principal officer in answer to a letter of inquiry from outside the U.S. Government concerning a former employee assigned to the post, may state the length of time the person was employed at the post and the fact that the former employee performed duties in a satisfactory manner, if such is the case. Also, an AID Mission Director may provide names of persons or firms from which a cooperating government may select an employee or firm to be used in some phase of the AID program.

(b) Making personal recommendations. An employee may make a personal recommendation in connection with the employment of any person, including present or former employees, their spouses and/or members of their families, except for employment in a position of trust or profit under the government of the country to which the employee is accredited or assigned (22 U.S.C. 806(b)): Provided, That the employee does not divulge any information concerning the person derived from official sources. When a letter of introduction or recommendation is written by an employee, precautionary measures should be taken to prevent its being construed as official correspondence and used by an unscrupulous individual to impress American or foreign officials. Accordingly, official stationery should not be used for this purpose. The letter may, however, show the recommending employee's status as an employee of the U. S. Government. Every personal letter of recommendation shall contain a statement clearly indicating that the letter constitutes a personal recommendation and is not to be construed as an official recommendation by the Government of the United States.

(a) Correspondence. In corresponding with anyone other than the proper official of the United States with regard to the public affairs of a foreign government, an employee shall use discretion and judgment to ensure that neither the United States nor the employee will be embarrassed or placed in a compromising position (22 U.S.C. 806(a)).

(b) Communications. An employee shall not act as an agent for the transmission of communications from private persons or organizations in foreign countries to the President or to Federal, State, or municipal officials in the United States. A chief of mission may, however, accept communications of this nature and forward them to the Department of State for such further action as may be appropriate, whenever the chief of mission determines it to be clearly in the public interest to do so.

(c) Gifts. An employee shall not act as an agent for the transmission of gifts from persons or organizations in foreign countries to the President or to Federal, State, or municipal officials of the United States. However, principal officers may, according to regulations prescribed by the President, accept, and forward to the Office of Protocol of the Department of State, gifts made to the United States or to any political subdivision thereof by the Government to which they are accredited or from which they hold exequaturs. Employees shall not, without the approval of the Secretary of State, transmit gifts from persons or organizations in the United States to heads or other officials of foreign states.

(a) An employee shall not engage in criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously disgraceful conduct, or other conduct prejudicial to the Government.

(b) An employee abroad is also obligated to obey the laws of the country in which the employee is present.

(c) An employee shall observe the requirements of courtesy, consideration, and promptness in dealing with or serving the public.

Each employee shall become acquainted with each statute that relates to the employee's ethical and other conduct as an agency employee of and of the Government.

(a) The attention of employees is directed to the following statutory provisions:

(1) House Concurrent Resolution 175, 85th Congress, 2d session, 72 Stat. B12, the “Code of Ethics for Government Service.”

(2) Chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, relating to bribery, graft, and conflicts of interest, as appropriate to the employees concerned.

(3) The prohibition against lobbying with appropriated funds (18 U.S.C. 1913).

(4) The prohibitions against disloyalty and striking (5 U.S.C. 7311, 18 U.S.C. 1918). 1

(5) The prohibitions against (i) the disclosure of classified information (18 U.S.C. 798, 50 U.S.C. 783); and (ii) the disclosure of confidential information (18 U.S.C. 1905).

(6) The provision relating to the habitual use of intoxicants to excess (5 U.S.C. 7352).

(7) The prohibition against the misuse of a Government vehicle (31 U.S.C. 638a(c)).

(8) The prohibition against the misuse of the franking privilege (18 U.S.C. 1719).

(9) The prohibition against the use of deceit in an examination or personnel action in connection with Government employment (18 U.S.C. 1917).

(10) The prohibition against fraud or false statements in a Government matter (18 U.S.C. 1001).

(11) The prohibition against mutilating or destroying a public record (18 U.S.C. 2071).

(12) The prohibition against counterfeiting and forging transportation requests (18 U.S.C. 508).

(13) The prohibition against (i) embezzlement of Government money or property (18 U.S.C. 641); (ii) failing to account for public money (18 U.S.C. 643); and (iii) embezzlement of the money or property of another person in the possession of an employee by reason of the employee's employment (18 U.S.C. 654).

(14) The prohibition against unauthorized use of documents relating to claims from or by the Government (18 U.S.C. 285).

(15) The prohibition against political activities in subchapter III of chapter 73 of title 5, United States Code and 18 U.S.C. 602, 603, 607, and 608.

(16) The prohibition against an employee acting as the agent of a foreign principal registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (18 U.S.C. 219).

(17) The prohibition against discrimination because of politics, race, religion, or color (22 U.S.C. 807).

(18) The prohibition against officers or employees accepting any honorarium in excess of $2,000 or honoraria aggregating more than $25,000 in any calendar year (sec. 112, Pub. L. 94-283, 90 Stat. 494 (2 U.S.C. 441i)).

(b) The attention of consular officers is directed to the following statutory provisions:

(1) The provisions relating to the duty to account for fees received (22 U.S.C. 9, 812, 1194), liability for exaction of excessive fees (22 U.S.C. 1182, 1189), and liability for failure to collect proper fees (22 U.S.C. 1190).

(2) The provisions relating to liability for failure to give bond and for embezzlement (22 U.S.C. 1179), liability for embezzlement of fees or effects of American citizens (22 U.S.C. 1198), and liability for falsely certifying as to the ownership of property (22 U.S.C. 1200).

(3) The prohibition against profiting from dealings with discharged seamen (22 U.S.C. 1187).

(4) The provision relating to liability for failure to collect the wages of discharged seamen (46 U.S.C. 683).

(a) Any employee desiring a written advance determination that the prohibitions of 18 U.S.C. 208(a) do not apply will prepare a written request addressed to an appropriate agency official. For purposes of this section, the appropriate agency official is: The Deputy Under Secretary for Management for State, the Administrator for AID, and the Director for ICA. The request will describe the particular matter giving rise to the conflict of interest, the nature and extent of the employee's anticipated participation in the particular matter, and the exact nature and amount of the financial interest related to the particular matter.

(b) The employee will forward the request to the appropriate agency official through the immediate supervisor and the assistant agency head in charge of the organizational agency component to which the employee is assigned, or will be assigned in the case of a new employee. The assistant agency head will forward the written request to the appropriate agency official through the agency's Counselor. The Counselor shall attach a written opinion to the request, prepare a recommended written determination in final form for signature by the appropriate agency official, and shall forward all documents to that official.

(c) The determination of the appropriate agency official will be sent to the employee by the Counselor. If the appropriate agency official grants the requested exception, the original written advance determination will be sent to the employee. A duplicate original shall be retained among the appropriate agency records under the control of the Counselor.