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Riddle 2 Answer

December 12, 2016


It’s the holiday season and gifts abound. The Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch define “gift” as anything that has monetary value. Keep in mind, the gift rules apply every day of the year to federal employees in every executive branch agency at every pay level and position.

Riddle #2—Holiday parties are cheerful, of course, but you’ll need to have this if there’s a prohibited source

Answer:           Agency approval

Acceptance of free attendance to an event such as a holiday party is restricted by the Standards of Conduct if the invitation comes from a prohibited source or is offered because of the employee’s official position. However, a commonly used exception allows employees to accept a gift of free attendance when the agency determines that it’s in the agency’s interest for the employee to be there (widely attended gathering exception).

For more information about the widely attended gathering exception, please see OGE Advisory, DO-07-047, Widely Attended Gatherings https://www.oge.gov/Web/OGE.nsf/All+Advisories/E261E1D2EA10003F85257E96005FBDFB/$FILE/4defd577ce2f46e381ac5ded0146cc234.pdf?open. Federal employees with gift acceptance questions should speak with an agency ethics official.