GIFTS GIFTS FROM OUTSIDE…

                                          GIFTS
GIFTS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES                           GIFTS BETWEEN EMPLOYEES

What gifts are not acceptable?                  Are there any limits on gifts between
 P An employee may not accept a gift:           employees?
 R that is offered because of the                P Yes. An employee may not give a gift
employee's Government position, or              to a supervisor or accept a gift from a
 R from someone:                                subordinate, unless the gift is:
  - with business (or seeking business)           R $10 or less (on an occasional basis);
before the Department,                            R for a major life event, such as a
  - regulated by the Department, or             wedding, birth of a child, or retirement;
  - with interests that could be affected by      R food shared in the office; or
performance of the employee's duties              R personal hospitality at one's home or a
unless acceptance is permitted under            gift to a host or hostess (of appropriate
exceptions in ethics gift regulations.          value).

What gifts are acceptable?                      May an employee give a gift to a
 P Exceptions in the gift rules permit          subordinate?
employees to accept:                             P Yes. Ethics rules do not restrict gifts
  R gifts from relatives and friends that are   from supervisors to subordinates.
based on a personal relationship,
  R gifts of $20 or less (if not in cash and         GIFTS TO THE GOVERNMENT
limited to $50 per year from the donor),
  R gifts of meals, lodging, and                May an employee accept a gift on behalf
transportation based on outside business        of the employee's agency?
or employment (or that of the employee's         P Yes, provided that the employee has
spouse),                                        authority to accept such gifts, it supports
  R invitations to "widely-attended" events     agency activities, acceptance will not
if a supervisor approves as benefitting the     create an appearance of loss of
agency, and                                     impartiality, and, if it is a travel gift, it was
 R gifts from a foreign government.             not solicited.

  Ethics Law and Programs Division, Office of the Assistant General Counsel for
             Administration, United States Department of Commerce
              202-482-5384 ­ ethicsdivision@doc.gov ­ January 9, 2008

                        A WORD ABOUT ETHICS