PARTICIPATING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES ON-DUTY…

        PARTICIPATING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
          ON-DUTY ACTIVITIES                               OFF-DUTY ACTIVITIES

In what political activities may an               Are there any restrictions on an
employee participate when on duty?                employee's political activities when off
 P None. Federal employees (except                duty and off Federal premises?
Senate-confirmed Presidential                      P Yes. Federal employees are barred,
appointees) may not engage in partisan            even when not on duty, from:
political activities while on Government            R soliciting, receiving, or accepting
premises or when on duty.                         campaign funds (such as by hosting a
                                                  fund-raiser or asking for contributions by
What other limits apply regarding political       telephone or in a speech) and
activities while at work?                           R running for office in a partisan election
 P Federal employees may not:                     (except as an independent in local races
  R use Government property for political         in some areas, such as the Washington,
purposes, including use of Government             D.C. suburbs).
equipment to send political e-mails;              (However, these off-duty restrictions do
  R use a Government position or                  not apply to employees serving 130 days
influence to interfere with an election or to     or less or intermittent employees.)
coerce any person to participate in a
political activity;                               Are these the only restrictions on Federal
  R wear a political button on duty;              employees?
  R display a partisan banner, sign,               P No. Career members of the SES,
sticker, or poster in a Federal office; or        NOAA Corps officers, and administrative
  R consider political affiliation or political   law judges are also barred from any
activity with regard to a personnel action        active participation in a partisan political
(except with regard to Schedule C                 campaign (including stuffing envelopes or
employees and non-career SES                      soliciting votes by telephone) and from
appointments).                                    serving as an officer in a political
                                                  organization.



  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 2, 2008

                         A WORD ABOUT ETHICS