Legal Ethics & Professional Responsibility Flashcards

An employee asks the FSO to keep a financial problem confidential and not report it. The FSO knows it is reportable adverse information. The correct action is:

Answer: Explain reporting obligations and submit the report

FSOs cannot promise confidentiality that would violate mandatory reporting duties.

What is the ethical way for an FSO to respond when asked to certify that all required training was completed, but some employees skipped it?

Answer: Certify only after training is truly complete or note the deficiency

Certifications must be true; false certification is a violation of ethics and law.

An FSO suspects a coworker of mishandling classified documents. Who should the FSO notify first under the contractor's reporting process?

Answer: The appropriate security authority, as required (e.g., DCSA)

Suspected loss or compromise must go to the cognizant security agency through proper channels.

Which describes proper treatment of an insider threat report made about a coworker?

Answer: Handle it confidentially and via the insider threat program

Insider threat reports are handled by the designated program with confidentiality and due process.

Under NISPOM, contractors with facility clearances must designate which individual to establish and oversee the insider threat program?

Answer: Insider Threat Program Senior Official (ITPSO)

The ITPSO, a cleared employee, is designated to run the insider threat program.

An FSO discovers that their company's leadership has been withholding a reportable foreign ownership change from DCSA. The FSO's duty is to:

Answer: Ensure the changed condition is reported as required

Changed conditions such as FOCI changes must be reported to the CSA.

Why must FSOs maintain professional objectivity when enforcing security rules?

Answer: Consistent, unbiased enforcement protects fairness and national security

Impartial enforcement maintains trust and effective protection of classified information.