On May 17, 2024, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) published a final rule revising the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. part 2635), and a Legal Advisory highlighting some of the notable changes effectuated by the rulemaking. As of August 15, 2024, the final rule is now in effect.

Each month in 2024, OGE will host offerings (virtual and in-person) to build knowledge and skills ethics officials need to successfully navigate the periods prior to and after a Presidential election.  All the content ethics officials would receive over a week-long event will be delivered throughout the year closer to the time that they are likely to need to apply it. Additionally, OGE will offer opportunities to exchange program practices and build their professional network.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has published a proposed rule revising the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. part 2635).

Provide your input on potential improvements to the executive branch public and confidential financial disclosure forms.

One of OGE’s goals in its Equity Action Plan is to improve equitable access to ethics records available under the Ethics in Government Act.

Summary of the ethics provisions that apply to Special Government Employees (SGEs)

The Summit will provide attendees with opportunities to deepen their knowledge of the ethics laws and rules, learn about the latest in ethics program practices, prepare for the next presidential election, and listen to viewpoints from experts outside government.

On August 2, 2018, Mr. Emory A. Rounds, III, was sworn into office as Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.

On April 18, 2017, OGE issued a Legal Advisory to assist agencies in identifying a “sponsor” of an event for purposes of the Free Attendance Exclusion and the Widely Attended Gatherings (WAG) Exception.

On January 11, 2017, the U.S. Office of Government's Director, Walter Shaub, Jr., presented at the Brookings Institution. The full text of the speech is available here.

This program advisory discusses two new requirements involving notices that must be issued to prospective new employees and to new supervisors.

On December 21, 2016, OGE issued a Legal Advisory discussing the recent amendments to the provisions of the Standards of Ethical Conduct that govern gifts from outside sources, found at 5 C.F.R. 2635, Subpart B.

On November 18, 2016, OGE published a final rule revising the provisions of the Standards of Ethical Conduct that govern solicitation and acceptance of gifts from outside sources, found at 5 C.F.R. 2635, Subpart B. It is effective January 1, 2017.

OGE has updated its procedures associated with referrals to the Department of Justice of possible violations of criminal conflict of interest laws.

On November 2, 2016, OGE published a final rule amending its regulations that govern the Executive Branch Ethics Program, which are found at 5 C.F.R. part 2638. The rule is a comprehensive revision that draws upon the collective experience of agency ethics officials across the executive branch and OGE as the supervising ethics office.

OGE has published a proposed rule to update the financial disclosure regulation. The proposed amendments would implement the additional transaction and mortgage reporting requirements that Congress imposed in 2012 in the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK Act). In addition, OGE is proposing changes that would improve consistency between various government ethics regulations and the Ethics in Government Act.

On September 27, 2016, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics issued a Legal Advisory discussing the post-Government employment restrictions, particularly those found in 18 U.S.C. § 207.

On August 3, 2016, OGE issued a Legal Advisory discussing the recent amendments to the provisions of the Standards of Ethical Conduct that govern seeking other employment found at 5 C.F.R. 2635, Subpart F.

On July 26, 2016, OGE published final amendments to the regulations that govern seeking other employment by Federal executive branch employees. This is the first comprehensive set of amendments to these rules since the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch went into effect in 1993.

On June 28, 2016, OGE published an interim final rule adjusting the five civil monetary penalties set forth in the Ethics in Government Act. For a brief summary of the rule and effective penalties, see Legal Advisory LA-16-04 dated July 21, 2016.

On July 18, OGE issued a Legal Advisory emphasizing that the general prohibitions on executive branch employees’ soliciting and accepting gifts from outside sources are unaffected by the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision, McDonnell v. United States.

On June 6, 2016, OGE published a proposed rule amending 5 C.F.R. Part 2638, “The Executive Branch Ethics Program.” This comprehensive revision is informed by more than three decades of experience gained by OGE and agency ethics officials in administering the program.

At the invitation of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Agile and Harmonized Assistance for Devolved Institutions, a representative from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics recently traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to assist Kenya’s government in implementing anti-corruption training for members of its civil service.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) recently met with the Kenya School of Government to discuss model practices in developing and implementing effective civil service ethics training.

The U.S. General Services Administration launched the 2016 Presidential Transition Directory on November 2, 2015. The website is designed to help candidates in the 2016 Presidential election get quick and easy access to key resources about the federal government structure and key policies related to Presidential Transition.

Former Director Mr. Stephen D. Potts Visits OGE

OGE’s Director and General Counsel Present at DOJ’s Ethics Advisors’ Conference

OGE Publishes Updated Compilation of Federal Ethics Law

OGE Director Participates in Roundtable and Workshop at the London School of Economic

OGE’s Program Counsel Presents at Anti-Corruption Symposium in Hong Kong

OGE Publishes its Sixth Annual Report on Political Appointees’ Compliance with the Ethics Pledge

OGE Publishes Proposed Updates to its FOIA Regulations

Director Walter Shaub and OGE Program Leaders Meet With Agency Ethics Officials

OGE Releases its Congressional Budget Justification and Annual Performance Plan for Fiscal Year 2016 and Annual Performance Report for Fiscal Year 2014

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) provides overall leadership and oversight of the executive branch ethics program designed to prevent and resolve conflicts of interest. Fundamental to OGE’s mission is the belief that public service is a public trust. OGE, in concert with agency ethics practitioners through

WATCH LIVE: Introduction to Enterprise Risk Management What if you could see the places in your organization where ethics problems are likely to occur? Would it change the way you train? Would it change the way you deploy program resources? Could it change the amount of resources that you have to deploy?  You

OGE Director meets with top leaders from OPM, OSC, and NEH.

OGE Discusses Role of Financial Disclosure as a Conflicts Prevention Tool at World Bank Conference

UN Report Cites OGE’s Communication Practices as Model Practices

The Passing of the Honorable Robert I. “RIC” Cusick, former Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics

OGE Publishes Highlights from the CY 13 Annual Agency Questionnaires

OGE Publishes a Summary of Ethics Prosecutions in 2013

OGE Participates in On-Site Visit and Review by a Commission of the Organization of American States’ Anticorruption Mechanism (MESICIC)

Watch Live on 10/16 at 12:00 noon: 2014 Nominee Ethics Agreement Guide

Watch Live on 10/9 at 2:00 PM: An Introduction to Fundraising

On September 18, 2014, OGE issued a report of its program review of the ethics program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The report highlights model practices OGE identified during its review and includes recommendations addressing areas of VA’s ethics program that need to be strengthened. The report is

On September 23rd, the Honorable Donna Edwards of the U.S. House of Representatives will deliver a keynote address on the importance of government ethics. Congresswoman Edwards represents Maryland’s 4th Congressional District. She was sworn in after a special election to become a member of the U.S. House of Represe

What do good government advocacy groups, the press, OGE, and executive branch agency ethics programs have in common? Whether through internal controls or external oversight, these entities help ensure a transparent federal government that functions with integrity and free from conflicts of interest. Meet some of the

Featured Speakers at the OGE National Government Ethics Summit: Joseph Gangloff, Patrick Kelley, Tim Mazur, and Emil Moschella

Featured Speakers at the OGE National Government Ethics Summit: Ambassador Norman Eisen and Professor Richard Painter

On September 9th, Max Stier will deliver a keynote address on the importance of ethical leadership in the executive branch at the National Government Ethics Summit. Mr. Stier is the President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to revitalizing the federal go

Featured Speakers at the OGE National Government Ethics Summit: Michael Smallberg and David Zaring

WATCH LIVE on 8/28 @ 1:00 PM: OGE National Government Ethics Summit Preview

The National Government Ethics Summit: Strengthening our Community In any organization, it is the people who make or break an ethics program. Most people want to do the right thing, but knowing and understanding the rules often makes the difference between compliance and an ethics violation. That is why training is vit

Watch Live on August 21 at 12:00 PM: Gifts of Free Attendance - 31 USC § 1353 v. WAG

On August 11, 2014, OGE’s Director, Walter M. Shaub, Jr., met with the new Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Robert A. McDonald.

Watch Live on August 57 at 2:00 PM: Gifts of Free Attendance MOOC

On Wednesday, July 30, OGE Director Shaub held his third quarterly meeting of the year with Designated Agency Ethics Officials

OGE meets with Commissioner and Deputy CEO of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission

OGE Meets with Philippines Ombudsman

OGE's Director Meets with the Chair of the Federal Reserve to Discuss the Importance of the Ethics Program

On Wednesday, April 30, OGE Director Shaub held a quarterly meeting with Designated Agency Ethics Official

South Korea and OGE Benefit from Discussion of Similarities and Differences in their Ethics Program.

March 10, 2014 – Washington, DC –U.S. Office of Government Ethics   Today the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) releases its strategic plan for fiscal years 2014 through 2018. The strategic plan reflects OGE’s continuedcommitment: (1) to the shared belief that public service is a public trust and;(2)

OGE Officials Participate in the Interagency Ethics Council’s Panel on the STOCK Act

OGE Director Announces that OGE Has a New General Counsel, David J. Apol

On November 20, 2013, OGE’s Director, Walter M. Shaub, met separately with anti-corruption officials from Hong Kong and Romania.

In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Windsor striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) is today issuing guidance regarding the effect of the decision on the Executive Branch ethics program.

OGE invites the public to comment on the OGE draft Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2014 to 2017.

This report provides information about the efforts of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to ensure that agency officials implemented the Ethics Pledge appropriately. The report covers the time period January 1 through December 31, 2012.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has launched a new twitter account!

On April 15, 2013, President Obama signed into law S. 716, a bill that, among other things, limits the STOCK Act’s requirement for online posting of public financial disclosure reports.

Congress has passed a bill that, among other things, would limit the STOCK Act’s requirement for online posting of public financial disclosure reports that is set to go into effect on April 15, 2013.

On April 5, 2013, OGE’s Director sent a letter to Congress concurring with the National Academy of Public Administration’s recommendation to suspend indefinitely a STOCK Act provision that would require online posting of personal financial data.

On March 28, 2013, in accordance with section 2 of Public Law 112-178, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) submitted an independent study on the impact of the STOCK Act to Congress and the President of the United States.

On March 18, 2013, OGE issued a legal advisory reminding executive branch employees that ethics laws and regulations continue to apply during the time that they are in a furlough status.

On January 8, 2013, President Obama appointed Mr. Walter M. Shaub, Jr., as Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. He was sworn into office January 9, 2013.

On December 7, 2012, President Obama signed into law H.R. 6634, which extends the date by which certain Executive Branch public financial disclosure forms must be made available on the internet to April 15, 2013.  

On December 5, 2012, the House passed H.R. 6634, which extends the date by which certain Executive Branch public financial disclosure forms must be made available on the internet to April 15, 2013. The Senate passed the bill on December 6, 2012; it goes to the President next for signature.

On September 28, 2012, President Obama signed into law S. 3625, which extends the date by which certain Executive Branch public financial disclosure forms must be made available on the internet to December 8, 2012.

On September 28, 2012, Congress passed S. 3625, which extends the date by which certain Executive Branch public financial disclosure forms must be made available on the internet to December 8, 2012.

On September 22, 2012, the Senate passed S. 3625, which extends the date by which certain Executive Branch public financial disclosure forms must be made available on the internet to December 8, 2012. The bill goes to the House next for consideration.

On August 16, 2012, President Obama signed into law S. 3510, which extends the date by which executive branch public financial disclosure forms must be made available on the internet to September 30, 2012.

Subsection 11(a)(1) the STOCK Act (Public Law 112 – 105) requires that by August 31, 2012, financial disclosure forms filed pursuant to title I of the Ethics in Government Act in calendar year 2012, and in subsequent years, be made available to the public on the official websites of the respective executive branch agencies not later than 30 days after such forms were filed.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has issued a Legal Advisory providing guidance to ethics officials on the new requirement for periodic reporting of certain financial transactions.

On May 24, 2012, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Walter M. Shaub, Jr. as the new Director of the Office of Government Ethics.

On April 4, 2012, the President signed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 (STOCK Act) (S. 2038).

On March 22, 2012, the Senate passed the House version of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 (STOCK Act) (S. 2038).

Copies of the certified public financial disclosure reports (SF 278/OGE Form 278) and, as appropriate, Certificates of Divestiture for individuals who have been nominated by President Obama to executive branch positions requiring Senate confirmation may be obtained by completing the automated OGE Form 201

OGE responds to questions from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee regarding the scope of certain provisions of the STOCK Act (S. 2038), as amended and passed by the Senate on February 2, 2012.