Subpart H—Outside Activities

(a) This subpart contains provisions relating to outside employment, outside activities, and personal financial obligations of employees that are in addition to the principles and standards set forth in other subparts of this part. Several of the provisions in this subpart apply to uncompensated as well as to compensated outside activities.

(b) Employees who wish to engage in outside employment or other outside activities must comply with all relevant provisions of this subpart, including, when applicable:

(1) The prohibition on outside employment or any other outside activity that conflicts with the employee's official duties;

(2) Any agency-specific requirement for prior approval of outside employment or activities;

(3) The limitations on receipt of outside earned income by certain Presidential appointees and other noncareer employees;

(4) The limitations on paid and unpaid service as an expert witness;

(5) The limitations on paid and unpaid teaching, speaking, and writing; and

(6) The limitations on fundraising activities.

(c) Outside employment and other outside activities of an employee must also comply with applicable provisions set forth in other subparts of this part and in supplemental agency regulations. These include the principle that an employee must endeavor to avoid actions creating an appearance of violating any of the ethical standards in this part and the prohibition against use of official position for an employee's private gain or for the private gain of any person with whom the employee has employment or business relations or is otherwise affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity.

Example 1 to paragraph (c): An employee of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) who was and is expected again to be instrumental in formulating new OSHA safety standards applicable to manufacturers that use chemical solvents has been offered a consulting contract to provide advice to an affected company in restructuring its manufacturing operations to comply with the OSHA standards. The employee should not enter into the consulting arrangement even though they are not currently working on OSHA standards affecting this industry and the consulting contract can be expected to be completed before they again work on such standards. Even though the consulting arrangement would not be a conflicting activity within the meaning of § 2635.802, it would create an appearance that the employee had used their official position to obtain the compensated outside business opportunity and it would create the further appearance of using public office for the private gain of the manufacturer.

(d) In addition to the provisions of this subpart and other subparts of this part, an employee who wishes to engage in outside employment or other outside activities must comply with applicable statutes and regulations. Relevant provisions of law, many of which are listed in subpart I of this part, may include:

(1) 18 U.S.C. 201(b), which prohibits a public official from seeking, accepting or agreeing to receive or accept anything of value in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act or for being induced to take or omit to take any action in violation of official duty;

(2) 18 U.S.C. 201(c), which prohibits a public official, otherwise than as provided by law for the proper discharge of official duty, from seeking, accepting, or agreeing to receive or accept anything of value for or because of any official act;

(3) 18 U.S.C. 203(a), which prohibits an individual from seeking, accepting, or agreeing to receive or accept compensation for any representational services, rendered personally or by another at a time when the individual is an employee, in relation to any particular matter in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest, before any department, agency, or other specified entity. This statute contains several exceptions, as well as standards for special Government employees that limit the scope of the restriction;

(4) 18 U.S.C. 205, which prohibits an employee, whether or not for compensation, from acting as agent or attorney for anyone in a claim against the United States or from acting as agent or attorney for anyone, before any department, agency, or other specified entity, in any particular matter in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest. It also prohibits receipt of any gratuity, or any share of or interest in a claim against the United States, in consideration for assisting in the prosecution of such claim. This statute contains several exceptions, as well as standards for special Government employees that limit the scope of the restrictions;

(5) 18 U.S.C. 209, which prohibits an employee, other than a special Government employee, from receiving any salary or any contribution to or supplementation of salary from any source other than the United States as compensation for services as a Government employee. The statute contains several exceptions that limit its applicability;

(6) The Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution, article I, section 9, clause 8, which prohibits anyone holding an office of profit or trust under the United States from accepting any gift, office, title, or emolument, including salary or compensation, from any foreign government except as authorized by Congress. In addition, 18 U.S.C. 219 generally prohibits any public official from being or acting as an agent of a foreign principal, including a foreign government, corporation, or person, if the employee would be required to register as a foreign agent under 22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.;

(7) The Hatch Act Reform Amendments, 5 U.S.C. 7321 through 7326, which govern the political activities of executive branch employees; and

(8) The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 limitations on outside employment, 5 U.S.C. chapter 131, subchapter III, which restrict the amount of outside earned income that a covered noncareer employee may receive, prohibit a covered noncareer employee from receiving compensation for specified activities, and provide that a covered noncareer employee may not allow their name to be used by any firm or other entity that provides professional services involving a fiduciary relationship. Implementing regulations are contained in §§ 2636.305 through 2636.307 of this chapter.

(a) Employees may not engage in outside employment or any other outside activity that conflicts with their official duties. An activity conflicts with an employee's official duties:

(1) If it is prohibited by statute or by an agency supplemental regulation; or

(2) If, under the standards set forth in §§ 2635.402 and 2635.502, it would require the employee's recusal from matters so central or critical to the performance of their official duties that the employee's ability to perform the duties of the Government position would be materially impaired.

(b) Employees are cautioned that even though an outside activity may not be prohibited under this section, it may violate other principles or standards set forth in this part or require the employee to recuse from participating in certain particular matters under either subpart D or E of this part.

Example 1 to paragraph (b): A biochemist, who conducts research at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has an outside consulting business providing technical guidance on the handling of hazardous materials. The biochemist would like to apply for a different EPA position, for which the principal duty would be writing regulations on the handling of hazardous materials. If the biochemist gets the position, the work would have a direct and predictable effect on the outside consulting business. Because the biochemist would be required to recuse from duties critical to the performance of official duties on a basis so frequent as to materially impair their ability to perform the duties of the position, they could not continue to operate the outside consulting business.

Example 2 to paragraph (b): An employee of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reviews applications for recognition of tax-exempt status. Several years ago, the employee became involved with a neighborhood group that transports stray animals to nearby adoption centers. As its activities expanded, the group created a formal organization, and submitted an application for recognition of tax-exempt status by the IRS. Under the circumstances, the employee should be recused from participating in any IRS determination regarding the tax-exempt status of this organization. However, the employee's involvement with the organization would not be prohibited by this section, because the outside activity would have a limited effect on official duties and would not require recusal from matters so central or critical to the performance of official duties that the ability to perform the duties of the position would be materially impaired.

When required by agency supplemental regulation, employees must obtain prior approval before engaging in outside employment or activities. When it is determined to be necessary or desirable for the purpose of administering its ethics program, an agency may, by supplemental regulation, require employees or any category of employees to obtain prior approval before engaging in specific types of outside activities, including outside employment. Whether or not prior approval is required by agency supplemental regulations, employees have a continuing responsibility to ensure that their outside activities do not conflict with their official duties.

This section implements the outside earned income limitations applicable to certain Presidential appointees. The outside earned income limitations applicable to covered noncareer employees, as defined in § 2636.303(a) of this chapter, are implemented in §§ 2636.301 through 2636.304 of this chapter.

(a) Presidential appointees to full-time noncareer positions. A Presidential appointee to a full-time noncareer position may not receive any outside earned income for outside employment, or for any other outside activity, performed during that Presidential appointment.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Outside earned income has the meaning set forth in § 2636.303(b) of this chapter, except that § 2636.303(b)(7) does not apply.

(2) Presidential appointee to a full-time noncareer position means any employee who is appointed by the President to a full-time position described in 5 U.S.C. 5312 through 5317 or to a position that, by statute or as a matter of practice, is filled by Presidential appointment, other than:

(i) A position filled under the authority of 3 U.S.C. 105 or 107(a) for which the rate of basic pay is less than that for GS-9, step 1 of the General Schedule;

(ii) A position, within a White House operating unit, that is designated as not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition;

(iii) A position within the uniformed services; or

(iv) A position in which a member of the Foreign Service is serving that does not require advice and consent of the Senate.

Example 1 to paragraph (b)(2): A career Department of Justice employee who is detailed to a policy-making position in the White House Office that is ordinarily filled by a noncareer employee is not a Presidential appointee to a full-time noncareer position.

Example 2 to paragraph (b)(2): A Department of Energy employee appointed under § 213.3301 of this title to a Schedule C position is appointed by the agency and, thus, is not a Presidential appointee to a full-time noncareer position.

(a) Restriction. Employees may not serve, other than on behalf of the United States, as an expert witness, with or without compensation, in any proceeding before a court or agency of the United States in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest, unless the employee's participation is authorized by the agency under paragraph (c) of this section. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the restriction in this paragraph (a) applies to special Government employees only if they have participated as an employee or special Government employee in the particular proceeding or in the particular matter that is the subject of the proceeding.

(b) Additional restriction applicable to certain special Government employees. (1) In addition to the restriction described in paragraph (a) of this section, special Government employees described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section may not serve, other than on behalf of the United States, as an expert witness, with or without compensation, in any proceeding before a court or agency of the United States in which their employing agency is a party or has a direct and substantial interest, unless the employee's participation is authorized by the agency under paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) The restriction in paragraph (b)(1) of this section applies to special Government employees who:

(i) Are appointed by the President;

(ii) Serve on a commission established by statute; or

(iii) Have served or are expected to serve for more than 60 days in a period of 365 consecutive days.

(c) Authorization to serve as an expert witness. Provided that the employee's testimony will not violate any of the principles or standards set forth in this part, authorization to provide expert witness service otherwise prohibited by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section may be given by the designated agency ethics official of the agency in which the employee serves when:

(1) After consultation with the agency representing the Government in the proceeding or, if the Government is not a party, with the Department of Justice and the agency with the most direct and substantial interest in the matter, the designated agency ethics official determines that the employee's service as an expert witness is in the interest of the Government; or

(2) The designated agency ethics official determines that the subject matter of the testimony does not relate to the employee's official duties within the meaning of § 2635.807(a)(2)(i).

(d) Fact witness. Nothing in this section prohibits an employee from serving as a fact witness when subpoenaed by an appropriate authority.

(a) Compensation for teaching, speaking, or writing. Except for teaching certain courses as permitted by paragraph (a)(3) of this section, an employee, including a special Government employee, may not receive compensation from any source other than the Government for teaching, speaking, or writing that occurs while the person is a Government employee and that relates to the employee's official duties.

(1) Relationship to other limitations on receipt of compensation. The compensation prohibition contained in this section is in addition to any other limitation on receipt of compensation set forth in this chapter, including:

(i) The requirement contained in § 2636.307 of this chapter that covered noncareer employees obtain advance authorization before engaging in teaching for compensation; and

(ii) The prohibitions and limitations in § 2635.804 and in § 2636.304 of this chapter on receipt of outside earned income applicable to certain Presidential appointees and to other covered noncareer employees.

(2) Definitions. For purposes of this paragraph (a):

(i) Teaching, speaking, or writing relates to the employee's official duties if:

(A) The activity is undertaken as part of the employee's official duties;

(B) The circumstances indicate that the invitation to engage in the activity was extended to the employee primarily because of their official position rather than their expertise on the particular subject matter;

(C) The invitation to engage in the activity or the offer of compensation for the activity was extended to the employee, directly or indirectly, by a person who has interests that may be affected substantially by performance or nonperformance of the employee's official duties;

(D) The information conveyed through the activity draws substantially on ideas or official data that are nonpublic information as defined in § 2635.703(b); or

(E) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2)(i)(E)(4) of this section, the subject of the activity deals in significant part with:

(1) Any matter to which the employee presently is assigned or to which the employee had been assigned during the previous one-year period;

(2) Any ongoing or announced policy, program, or operation of the agency; or

(3) In the case of a noncareer employee as defined in § 2636.303(a) of this chapter, the general subject matter area, industry, or economic sector primarily affected by the programs and operations of the employee's agency.

(4) The restrictions in paragraphs (a)(2)(i)(E)(2) and (3) of this section do not apply to a special Government employee. The restriction in paragraph (a)(2)(i)(E)(1) of this section applies only during the current appointment of a special Government employee; except that if the special Government employee has not served or is not expected to serve for more than 60 days during the first year or any subsequent one-year period of that appointment, the restriction applies only to particular matters involving specific parties in which the special Government employee has participated or is participating personally and substantially.

(ii) Agency has the meaning set forth in § 2635.102(a), except that any component of a department designated as a separate agency under § 2635.203(a) will be considered a separate agency.

(iii) Compensation, for purposes of this paragraph (a):

(A) Includes any form of consideration, remuneration, or income, including royalties, given for or in connection with the employee's teaching, speaking, or writing.

(B) Compensation does not include:

(1) Items offered by any source that could be accepted from a prohibited source under subpart B of this part;

(2) Meals or other incidents of attendance such as waiver of attendance fees or course materials furnished as part of the event at which the teaching or speaking takes place;

(3) Copies of books or of publications containing articles, reprints of articles, tapes of speeches, and similar items that provide a record of the teaching, speaking, or writing activity; or

(4) Travel expenses for certain individuals as described in paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(C) of this section.

(C) For employees other than covered noncareer employees as defined in § 2636.303(a) of this chapter, compensation does not include travel expenses, consisting of transportation, lodging or meals, incurred in connection with the teaching, speaking, or writing activity. For covered noncareer employees as defined in § 2636.303(a) of this chapter, compensation does include transportation, lodging, and meals, whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, by payment in advance, or by reimbursement after the expense has been incurred, unless such travel expenses are accepted under specific statutory authority, such as 31 U.S.C. 1353, 5 U.S.C. 4111, or 5 U.S.C. 7342, or an agency gift acceptance statute.

(iv) Receive means that there is actual or constructive receipt of the compensation by the employee so that the employee has the right to exercise dominion and control over the compensation and to direct its subsequent use. Receipt of compensation is attributable to the time that the teaching, speaking, or writing occurs when there is actual or constructive receipt of the compensation by the employee. If the employee has an enforceable agreement to receive compensation for writing undertaken during Government service, then compensation is received while the individual is an employee even though actual payment may be deferred until after Government service. Compensation received by an employee includes compensation which is:

(A) Paid to another person, including a charitable organization, on the basis of designation, recommendation, or other specification by the employee; or

(B) Paid with the employee's knowledge and acquiescence to the employee's parent, sibling, spouse, child, or dependent relative.

(v) Particular matter involving specific parties has the meaning set forth in § 2640.102(l) of this chapter.

(vi) Personal and substantial participation has the meaning set forth in § 2635.402(b)(4).

(3) Exception for teaching certain courses. Notwithstanding that the activity would relate to their official duties under paragraph (a)(2)(i)(B) or (E) of this section, employees may accept compensation for teaching a course requiring multiple presentations by the employee if the course is offered as part of:

(i) The regularly established curriculum of:

(A) An institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001 or from a similar foreign institution of higher education;

(B) An elementary school as defined at 20 U.S.C. 7801(19); or

(C) A secondary school as defined at 20 U.S.C. 7801(45); or

(ii) A program of education or training sponsored and funded by the Federal Government or by a State or local government which is not offered by an entity described in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section.

(b) Reference to official position. Employees who are engaged in teaching, speaking, or writing as outside employment or as an outside activity may not use or permit the use of their official title or position to identify themselves in connection with a teaching, speaking, or writing activity, or to promote any book, seminar, course, program, or similar undertaking, except that:

(1) Employees may include or permit the inclusion of their title or position as one of several biographical details when such information is given to identify them in connection with their teaching, speaking, or writing, provided that their title or position is given no more prominence than other significant biographical details;

(2) Employees may use or permit the use of their title or position in connection with an article published in a scientific or professional journal, provided that the title or position is accompanied by a reasonably prominent disclaimer satisfactory to the agency stating that the views expressed in the article do not necessarily represent the views of the agency or the United States; and

(3) Employees who are ordinarily addressed using a general term of address, such as “The Honorable” or “Judge,” or a rank, such as a military or ambassadorial rank, may use or permit the use of that term of address or rank in connection with their teaching, speaking, or writing.

Employees may engage in fundraising only in accordance with the restrictions in part 950 of this title on the conduct of charitable fundraising in the Federal workplace and in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. This section addresses fundraising as defined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, and does not cover all scenarios in which an employee might seek to collect donations from a fellow employee. For example, employees of an office might decide to collect money for a coworker whose family was displaced by a flood; the permissibility of such collections should be analyzed under subpart C of this part, not this section.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Fundraising means the raising of funds for a nonprofit organization, other than a political organization as defined in 26 U.S.C. 527(e), through:

(i) Solicitation of funds or sale of items; or

(ii) Participation in the conduct of an event by an employee when any portion of the cost of attendance or participation may be taken as a charitable tax deduction by a person incurring that cost.

(2) Participation in the conduct of an event means active and visible participation in the promotion, production, or presentation of the event and includes serving as honorary chairperson, sitting at a head table during the event, and standing in a reception line. The term does not include mere attendance at an event provided that, to the employee's knowledge, the employee's attendance is not used by the nonprofit organization to promote the event. While the term generally includes any public speaking during the event, it does not include the delivery of an official speech as defined in paragraph (a)(3) of this section or any seating or other participation appropriate to the delivery of such a speech. Waiver of a fee for attendance at an event by a participant in the conduct of that event does not constitute a gift for purposes of subpart B of this part.

Example 1 to paragraph (a)(2): The Secretary of Transportation has been asked to serve as master of ceremonies for an All-Star Gala. Tickets to the event cost $150 and are tax deductible as a charitable donation, with proceeds to be donated to a local hospital. By serving as master of ceremonies, the Secretary would be participating in fundraising.

(3) Official speech means a speech given by an employee in an official capacity on a subject matter that relates to the employee's official duties, provided that the employee's agency has determined that the event at which the speech is to be given provides an appropriate forum for the dissemination of the information to be presented and provided that the employee does not request donations or other support for the nonprofit organization. Subject matter relates to an employee's official duties if it focuses specifically on the employee's official duties, on the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the employee's agency as described in § 2635.807(a)(2)(i)(E), or on matters of Administration policy on which the employee has been authorized to speak.

Example 1 to paragraph (a)(3): The Secretary of Labor is invited to speak at a banquet honoring a distinguished labor leader, the proceeds of which will benefit a nonprofit organization that assists homeless families. The Secretary devotes a major portion of the speech to the Administration's Points of Light initiative, an effort to encourage citizens to volunteer their time to help solve serious social problems. Because the Secretary is authorized to speak on Administration policy, these remarks at the banquet are an official speech. However, the Secretary would be engaged in fundraising if the official speech concluded with a request for donations to the nonprofit organization.

Example 2 to paragraph (a)(3): A charitable organization is sponsoring a two-day tennis tournament at a country club in the Washington, DC, area to raise funds for recreational programs for children with learning disabilities. The organization has invited the Secretary of Education to give a speech on federally funded special education programs at the awards dinner to be held at the conclusion of the tournament, and the agency has determined that the dinner is an appropriate forum for the particular speech. The Secretary may speak at the dinner and, under § 2635.203(b)(8), may partake of the meal provided at the dinner.

(4) Personally solicit means to request or otherwise encourage donations or other support either through person-to-person contact or through the use of one's name or identity in correspondence or by permitting its use by others. It does not include the solicitation of funds through the media or through either oral remarks, or the contemporaneous dispatch of like items of mass-produced correspondence, if such remarks or correspondence are addressed to a group consisting of many persons, unless it is known to the employee that the solicitation is targeted at subordinates or at persons who are prohibited sources within the meaning of § 2635.203(d). It does not include behind-the-scenes assistance in the solicitation of funds, such as drafting correspondence, stuffing envelopes, or accounting for contributions.

Example 1 to paragraph (a)(4): An employee of the Department of Energy (DOE) who signs a letter soliciting funds for a local private school does not “personally solicit” funds when 500 copies of the letter, which makes no mention of the employee's DOE position and title, are mailed to members of the local community, even though some individuals who are employed by DOE contractors may receive the letter.

(b) Fundraising in an official capacity. Employees may participate in fundraising in an official capacity if, in accordance with a statute, Executive order, regulation, or otherwise as determined by the agency, they are authorized to engage in the fundraising activity as part of their official duties. When authorized to participate in an official capacity, employees may use their official title, position, and authority.

Example 1 to paragraph (b): Because participation in an official capacity is authorized under part 950 of this title, the Secretary of the Army may sign a memorandum to all Army personnel encouraging them to donate to the Combined Federal Campaign.

(c) Fundraising in a personal capacity. An employee may engage in fundraising in a personal capacity provided that the employee does not:

(1) Personally solicit funds or other support from a subordinate or from any person:

(i) Known to the employee, if the employee is other than a special Government employee, to be a prohibited source within the meaning of § 2635.203(d), unless the circumstances make clear that the solicitation is motivated by a family relationship or personal friendship that would justify the solicitation; or

(ii) Known to the employee, if the employee is a special Government employee, to be a prohibited source within the meaning of § 2635.203(d)(4) that is a person whose interests may be substantially affected by performance or nonperformance of the employee's official duties, unless the circumstances make clear that the solicitation is motivated by a family relationship or personal friendship that would justify the solicitation;

(2) Use or permit the use of the employee's official title, position, or any authority associated with the employee's public office to further the fundraising effort, except that an employee who is ordinarily addressed using a general term of address, such “The Honorable,” or a rank, such as a military or ambassadorial rank, may use or permit the use of that term of address or rank for such purposes; or

(3) Engage in any action that would otherwise violate this part.

Example 1 to paragraph (c): A nonprofit organization is sponsoring a golf tournament to raise funds for underprivileged children. The Secretary of the Navy may not enter the tournament with the understanding that the organization intends to attract participants by offering other entrants the opportunity, in exchange for a donation in the form of an entry fee, to spend the day playing 18 holes of golf in a foursome with the Secretary of the Navy.

Example 2 to paragraph (c): An employee of the Merit Systems Protection Board may not use the agency's photocopier to reproduce fundraising literature for their child's private school. Such use of the photocopier would violate the standards at § 2635.704 regarding use of Government property.

Example 3 to paragraph (c): An Assistant Attorney General may not sign a letter soliciting funds for a homeless shelter as “P.J. Doe, Assistant Attorney General.” The Assistant Attorney General also may not sign a letter with just a “P.J. Doe” signature soliciting funds from a prohibited source, unless the letter is one of many identical, mass-produced letters addressed to a large group when the solicitation is not known to the Assistant Attorney General to be targeted at persons who are either prohibited sources or subordinates.

Example 4 to paragraph (c): An employee of the Department of Commerce is running a half marathon to raise money for a nonprofit organization engaged in cancer research, and is looking for people to sponsor the race. The employee plans to target specific individuals they think will want to contribute, including a close friend with whom they regularly meet for dinner. Notwithstanding the fact that the friend is employed by a corporation that is a prohibited source, the employee may ask the friend to sponsor the race because the solicitation is motivated by a personal friendship that would justify the solicitation.

Example 5 to paragraph (c): The employee in example 4 to this paragraph (c) knows that a subordinate employee has expressed an interest in this cause and sends the subordinate a direct link to the online sponsorship page. The employee has “personally solicited” a subordinate in violation of paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

Example 6 to paragraph (c): The employee in example 4 to this paragraph (c) decides that rather than targeting specific individuals for contributions, it would be preferable to post a general request and a link to information about the race on their personal social media account. Because this request may be viewed by any person with whom the employee is connected through the social media network and does not reference or target any specific individual, it is not considered a personal solicitation of any subordinate or prohibited source that is connected to the employee.

Employees must satisfy in good faith their obligations as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those such as Federal, State, or local taxes that are imposed by law. For purposes of this section, a just financial obligation includes any financial obligation acknowledged by the employee or reduced to judgment by a court. In good faith means an honest intention to fulfill any just financial obligation in a timely manner. In the event of a dispute between an employee and an alleged creditor, this section does not require an agency to determine the validity or amount of the disputed debt or to collect a debt on the alleged creditor's behalf.