a firm, a partnership, a society, a joint stock company, or any other organization or institution.

(e) "Special Government employee" means an officer or employee of an agency who is retained, designated, appointed, or employed to perform, with or without compensation, for not to exceed 130 days during any period of 365 consecutive days, temporary duties either on a full-time or intermittent basis.

(f) "Member of an employee's family" means a spouse, minor child, or other member of an employee's immediate household. For the purpose of these regulations "member of an employee's immediate household" means those blood relations who are residents of the employee's household.

(g) "Counselor" means the agency's Counselor on Ethical Conduct and Conflicts of Interest.

§ 10.735-103 Interpretation and advisory service.

(a) Counseling services on employee responsibilities and conduct are available in each agency. These services are to be coordinated by a Counselor appointed by the agency head. The Counselors are for State-the Legal Adviser; for USIAthe General Counsel; and for AID-the Deputy General Counsel. The Counselor serves as the agency's designee to the Civil Service Commission on matters covered by the regulations in this part and is responsible for coordination of the agency's counseling services under paragraph (b) of this section and for assuring that counseling and interpretations on questions of conflicts of interest and other matters covered by these sections are available to deputy counselors designated under paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Each agency head may designate deputy counselors for the agency's employees and special Government employees. Deputy Counselors designated under this section must be qualified and in a position to give authoritative advice and guidance to each employee and special Government employee who seeks advice and guidance on questions of conflicts of interest and on other matters covered by the regulations in this part. A Washington employee or special Government employee should address any inquiries concerning the regulations in this part to

the Counselor. At missions abroad the chief of each agency's establishment designates an officer, preferably the legal officer where one is available, to provide counseling services under the guidance of the Counselor; a single officer may serve all agencies. An employee or special Government employee serving abroad should submit his inquiries to the officer designated.

(c) Each agency shall periodically notify its employees and special Government employees of the availability of counseling services and how and when these services are available. A new employee or special Government employee shall be notified at the time of his entrance on duty.

§ 10.735-104 Applicability to detailed employees.

All the regulations of Subparts A, B, and D of this part are applicable to an employee of another U.S. Government agency who may be serving on detail or assignment, formally or informally, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis through a Participating Agency Service Agreement or otherwise, with an agency named in § 10.735–102(a). However, disciplinary action shall be taken against such an employee only by his employing agency.

§ 10.735-105 Disciplinary action.

A violation of the regulations in this part by an employee or special Government employee may be cause for appropriate disciplinary action which may be in addition to any penalty prescribed by law.

Subpart B-Ethical and Other Conduct and Responsibilities of Employees § 10.735-201 General.

(a) Proscribed actions. An employee shall avoid any action, whether or not specifically prohibited by the regulations in this part, which might result in, or create the appearance of:

(1) Using public office for private gain; (2) Giving preferential treatment to any person;

(3) Impeding Government efficiency or economy; (4) Losing partiality;

independence or im

(5) Making a Government decision outside official channels; or

(6) Affecting adversely the confidence of the public in the integrity of the Government.

(b) Applicability to members of families of employees. A U.S. citizen employee shall take care that certain responsibilities placed on him are also observed by members of his family. These are the restrictions in regard to: Acceptance of gifts (§§ 10.735-202 and 10.735-203); economic and financial activities abroad (§ 10.735-206); teaching, lecturing, and writing (§ 10.735-204 (c)); participation in activities of private organizations (§ 10.735-211(c)); and political activities abroad (§ 10.735-211(g)).

(a) Acceptance prohibited. Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, an employee shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan, or any other thing of monetary value, from a person who:

(1) Has, or is seeking to obtain, contractual or other business or financial relations with his agency;

(2) Conducts operations or activities that are regulated by his agency;

(3) Has interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of his official duty; or

(4) Appears to be offering the gift with the hope or expectation of obtaining advantage or preferment in dealing with the U.S. Government for any purpose.

(b) Acceptance permitted. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to:

(1) Gifts, gratuities, favors, entertainments, loans, or any other thing of monetary value received on account of close family or personal relationships when the circumstances make it clear that it is that relationship rather than the business of the persons concerned which is the motivating factors;

(2) Acceptance of loans from banks or other financial institutions on customary terms to finance proper and usual activities of employees, such as home mortgage loans;

(3) Acceptance of unsolicited advertising or promotional material, such as pens, pencils, note pads, calendars, and other items of nominal intrisic value;

(4) Acceptance of rates and discounts offered to employees as a class.

(c) Acceptance permitted for State and USIA employees. For State and USIA employees the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to: Acceptance of food and refreshments of nominal value on infrequent occasions in the ordinary course of a luncheon or dinner meeting or other meeting or on an inspection tour where an employee may properly be in attendance.

(d) Acceptance permitted for AID employees. For AID employees the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply in the following situations:

(1) In some circumstances the interests of the Government may be served by participation of employees in widely attended lunches, dinners, and similar gatherings sponsored by industrial, technical, and professional associations for the discussion of matters of mutual interest to Government and industry. Participation of employees is appropriate where the host is the association and not the individual contractor. However, acceptance of entertainment or hospitality from private companies in connection with such association activities is prohibited.

(2) In the unusual situation where employees would by virtue of the location of the person, firm, corporation, or other entity, or the regulations governing its dining facilities, find it inconvenient or impractical not to accept meals and refreshment at the host's expense at said location or facility, personnel may accept such meals or refreshments.

(3) There will be situations where in the judgment of the individual concerned, the Government's interest would be served by participation of an employee in activities comparable to those enumerated in subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this paragraph, particularly where officers are dealing with a foreign government; in any such case in which an employee accepts any favor, gratuity, or entertainment directly or indirectly from any foreign government, person, firm, corporation, or any entity which is engaged or is endeavoring to engage in business transactions of any sort with AID, a report of the circumstances, together with the employee's statement as

to how the Government's interests were served, will be made within 48 hours to the employee's supervisor or, if the employee is serving abroad, to the Mission Director.

(e) Gifts to superiors. An employee shall not solicit a contribution from another employee for a gift to an official superior, make a donation as a gift to an official superior, or accept a gift from an employee receiving less pay than himself (5 U.S.C. 7351). However, this paragraph does not prohibit a voluntary gift of nominal value or donation in a nominal amount made on a special occasion such as marriage, illness, or retirement.

(f) Neither this section nor § 10.735– 204 precludes an employee from receipt of bona fide reimbursement, unless prohibited by law, for expenses of travel and such other necessary subsistence as is compatible with this part for which no Government payment or reimbursement is made. However, this paragraph does not allow an employee to be reimbursed, or payment to be made on his behalf, for excessive personal living expenses, gifts, entertainment, or other personal benefits, nor does it allow an employee to be reimbursed by a person for travel on official business under agency orders when reimbursement is proscribed by Decision B-128527 of the Comptroller General dated March 7, 1967.

in which acceptance may result in, or create the appearance of, conflicts of interest; or

(2) Outside employment which tends to impair his mental or physical capacity to perform his Government duties and responsibilities in an acceptable manner.

(b) An employee shall not receive any salary or anything of monetary value from a private source as compensation for his services to the Government (18 U.S.C. 209).

(c) Employees are encouraged to engage in teaching, lecturing, and writting that is not prohibited by law, the Executive order, this part, or the agency regulations. However, an employee shall not, either for or without compensation, engage in teaching, lecturing, or writing, including teaching, lecturing, or writing for the purpose of the special preparation of a person or class of persons for an examination of the Civil Service Commission or Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service, that is dependent on information obtained as a result of his Government employment, except when that information has been made available to the general public or will be made available on request or when the agency head gives written authorization for use of nonpublic information on the basis that the use is in the public interest. In addition, an employee who is a Presidential appointee covered by section 401(a) of the Executive order shall not receive compensation or anything of monetary value for any consultation, lecture, discussion, writing, or appearance the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of his agency, or which draws substantially on official data or ideas which have not become part of the body of public information. Employees are referred to the detailed rules of their agency with respect to clearance and acceptance of compensation (3 FAM 628 and for AID see M.O. 831.2).

(d) [Reserved]

(e) An employee shall not render any services, whether or not compensated, to any foreign government, state, province, or semigovernmental agency, or municipality of any foreign government, or to any international organization of states. However, this shall not prevent the rendering of such services by employees acting on behalf of the United States. Nor shall this provision prevent

the rendering of services to an international organization of states when otherwise consistent with law and when authorized by the appropriate officer. The appropriate officer for State is the Director General, for USIA the Assistant Director (Personnel and Training), and for AID the Assistant Administrator for Administration.

(f) An employee shall not engage in any teaching or related activities directed toward the special preparation of individuals for examinations of the U.S. Civil Service Commission or the Foreign Service (Executive Order 9367).

(g) This section does not preclude an employee from:

(1) Participation in the activities of national or State political parties not proscribed by law.

(2) Participation in the affairs of or acceptance of an award for a meritorious public contribution or achievement given by a charitable, religious, professional, social, fraternal, nonprofit educational and recreational, public service, or civic organization.

§ 10.735-205 Financial interests.

(a) An employee shall not:

(1) Have a direct or indirect financial interest that conflicts substantially, or appears to conflict substantially with his Government duties and responsibilities;

rates, unless such transactions are duly authorized in advance by the agency.

(3) Sales to unauthorized persons (whether at cost or for profit) of currency acquired at preferential rates through diplomatic or other restricted arrangements.

(4) Transactions which entail the use, without official sanction, of the diplomatic pouch.

(5) Transfers of funds on behalf of blocked nationals, or otherwise in violation of U.S. foreign funds and assets control.

(6) Independent and unsanctioned private transactions which involve an employee as an individual in violation of applicable control regulations of foreign governments.

(7) Acting as an intermediary in the transfer of private funds from persons in one country to persons in another country, including the United States.

(8) Permitting use of one's official title in any private business transactions or in advertisements for business purposes.

(b) Prohibitions in country of assignment. (1) A U.S. citizen employee shall not transact or be interested in any business or engage for profit in any profession or undertake other gainful employment in any country or countries to which he is assigned or detailed in his own name or through the agency of any other person; exceptions may be made with respect to chiefs of mission only in writing by the Deputy Under Secretary for Administration, and for all other State employees by the appropriate chief of mission; for USIA employees by the Assistant Director (Personnel and Training); and for AID employees by the assistant administrator of the regional bureau or head of the nonregional organization, as appropriate, or their designees (see 22 U.S.C. 805).

(2) A U.S. citizen employee shall not invest in real estate or mortgages on properties located in his country of assignment. The purchase of a house and land for personal occupancy is not considered a violation of this subparagraph.

(3) A U.S. citizen employee shall not invest money in bonds, shares or stocks of commercial concerns headquartered in his country of assignment or conducting a substantial portion of their business in such country. Such investments, if made prior to knowledge of assignment

or detail to such country or countries. may be retained during such assignment or detail when approved in writing by the appropriate official named in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph. If retention is authorized, such stocks, shares, or bonds may not be sold while the employee is assigned or detailed to the country or countries, unless the agency approved the sale in writing.

(4) A U.S. citizen employee shall not sell or dispose of personal property, including automobiles, at prices producing profits to him which result primarily from import privileges derived from his official status as an employee of the U.S. Government. Employees are referred to FAMC 378; for AID see M.O. 443.5.

(c) Acceptance of employment by members of family abroad. Members of a U.S. citizen employee's family may not transact or be interested in any business or engage in gainful employment in the country to which the employee is assigned without express approval of the chief of an ageny's establishment.

(iv) As dependent children, maintain paper routes or perform other casual part-time duties.

(v) Accept employment which supports overall U.S. objectives by favorably reflecting educational, cultural, and professional accomplishments of U.S. citizens.

In considering requests for permission for members of a family to accept employment abroad, the authorizing officer shall follow generally consistent policies approved by the Ambassador and should consider: The propriety of employment with institutions supported directly by the local government; any adverse effects on relations between the United States and the host government; possible violation of local custom; possible violation of

conflict of interest regulations; competition with the local labor market that might result from such employment; possible conflict with the representational activities of a member of the family of an officer with representational responsibilities; and possible adverse effects on the special status of the employee and his family as official representatives of the United States. It should also be borne in mind that persons accepting employment abroad may not enjoy immunity from judicial process and that they would be subject to the payment of any taxes deriving from their nondiplomatic employment.

(d) Business activities of non-U.S. citizen employees. A non-U.S. citizen employee abroad may engage in outside business activities with the prior approval of the head of the overseas establishment on the basis of the standards expressed in § 10.735-204(a).

An employee shall not directly or indirectly use, or allow the use of Government property of any kind, including property leased to the Government, for other than officially approved activities. An employee has a positive duty to protect and conserve Government property, including equipment, supplies, and other property entrusted or issued to him. § 10.735–208. Misuse of information.

For the purpose of furthering a private interest, an employee shall not, except as provided in § 10.735-204 (c) directly or indirectly use, or allow the use of, official information obtained through or in connection with his Government employment which has not been made available to the general public.

An employee shall pay each just financial obligation in a proper and timely manner, especially one imposed by law. such as Federal, State, or local taxes. For the purpose of this section, a "just financial obligation" means one acknowledged by the employee or reduced to judgment by a court, and "in a proper and timely manner" means in a manner which the agency determines does not, under circumstances, reflect adversely on the Government as his employer. In the event of 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.