Employee Ethical Conduct 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 Employee Ethical Conduct flashcards as text
Which federal law establishes the core Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch?
Answer: 5 C.F.R. Part 2635
5 C.F.R. Part 2635 contains the government-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, covering gifts, conflicts of interest, impartiality, misuse of position, and outside activities.
An employee is offered a free seminar by a professional association that also lobbies the employee's agency. The seminar is directly related to the employee's official duties. What factor is most important in deciding whether to accept?
Answer: Whether the association qualifies as a prohibited source under ethics rules
The key question is whether the professional association is a 'prohibited source' — i.e., whether it seeks official action from, does business with, or is regulated by the employee's agency. If so, the gift exception for widely attended events may or may not apply depending on agency supplemental rules.
What does 'impartiality in official matters' require of a federal employee?
Answer: Avoiding participation in matters where a reasonable person would question the employee's objectivity
Impartiality requires employees to recuse themselves from matters where personal relationships, financial interests, or prior employment might cause a reasonable person to question whether the employee can act objectively, even if the employee believes they can be fair.
Which agency is responsible for administering the government-wide program for preventing conflicts of interest in the executive branch?
Answer: Office of Government Ethics (OGE)
The Office of Government Ethics (OGE), an independent agency, provides overall direction for the executive branch ethics program, issues regulations and guidance, reviews financial disclosures of presidential nominees, and oversees agency ethics officials.
A supervisor asks a subordinate to draft a letter on official letterhead supporting the supervisor's personal business venture. What ethical principle does this violate?
Answer: The prohibition on misuse of position, including coercing subordinates
Directing a subordinate to use official resources (time, letterhead) for a supervisor's personal business constitutes misuse of position. It also coerces the subordinate, which is independently prohibited.
Which of the following outside activities is generally PERMITTED for a federal employee under ethics rules?
Answer: Teaching a college course in their area of expertise on personal time without conflicting financial ties
Teaching, writing, and speaking in one's area of expertise on personal time is generally permitted, provided it does not conflict with official duties, misuse government resources, or create a financial conflict of interest.