Civil Service FAQ Employee Conduct and Ethics Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real Civil Service FAQ practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Civil Service FAQ Employee Conduct and Ethics Questions and Answers flashcards as text
A civil servant discovers that a colleague is accepting small gifts from a contractor bidding on a government contract. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Report it to the agency's ethics officer or inspector general
Accepting gifts from contractors can constitute a conflict of interest and must be reported to the appropriate ethics authority regardless of gift value.
Under the U.S. Office of Government Ethics rules, what is the general dollar threshold for gifts a federal employee may accept from a prohibited source?
Answer: $20 per occasion, not exceeding $50 per year from one source
Federal regulations generally permit acceptance of unsolicited gifts valued at $20 or less per occasion, with a $50 annual aggregate limit from any single prohibited source.
Which of the following best describes 'misuse of position' in the civil service context?
Answer: Using one's official title or authority to benefit a private business interest
Misuse of position occurs when an employee exploits their official role, title, or authority for personal or private financial gain outside official duties.
A federal employee is offered a part-time consulting job with a private firm that does business with their agency. What must the employee do before accepting?
Answer: Obtain prior written approval from their agency's ethics official
Federal employees must obtain prior written approval from their agency ethics official before accepting outside employment that could create a conflict of interest.
What does the Hatch Act primarily restrict for most federal civil service employees?
Answer: Engaging in partisan political activity while on duty or in a federal facility
The Hatch Act prohibits most federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, in uniform, in a government vehicle, or inside a federal facility.
An employee learns through their official duties that a public company is about to lose a major federal contract. Using that information to sell the company's stock before the announcement is an example of:
Answer: Insider trading and a serious ethics violation
Using non-public government information obtained through official duties for personal financial gain constitutes insider trading and violates federal ethics laws.