U.S. Office of Government Ethics

This Legal Advisory provides guidance on the post-Government employment restrictions applicable to employees who signed the Ethics Pledge under E.O. 13770. The advisory expands on the post-Government employment guidance included in LA-17-03.

On this day in 1978, President Carter signed the Ethics in Government Act, which created the United States Office of Government Ethics (OGE) and the public financial disclosure system for the United States Government.

This Legal Advisory provides guidance on certain types of communications, made without an intent to influence, that OGE views as permissible under 18 U.S.C. § 205(a)(2). The Legal Advisory clarifies that submitting certain applications or forms on behalf of another is permissible if employees’ submissions consist of factual information and seek routine action that do not contain an appreciable element of dispute.

This Legal Advisory provides answers to frequently asked questions for employees engaged in crowdsourced fundraising. The advisory addresses a range of topics, including determining when gifts are based on an employee's official position and accepting donations from fundraising campaigns started by others.

This Legal Advisory provides guidance on recurring book deals issues relevant to incoming and outgoing employees that OGE did not directly address in OGE DAEOgram DO-08-006. Specifically, this Advisory shares guidance provided by OGE since 2008 relating to the ability of employees, during government service, to: (1) receive compensation for updating a textbook or other book that was initially written prior to government service; (2) engage in promotional activities as part of a book deal; and (3) try to sell a book idea or “shop a book around.”