10/02/2024
(Program) PA-24-05: Summary of Changes to Revised Guide to Drafting Nominee Ethics Agreements
This Program Advisory provides a summary of the changes in the 2024 revised Guide to Drafting Nominee Ethics Agreements.
09/27/2024
(Legal) LA-24-11: Common Ethics Issues that May Arise for Current and Former Federal Employees Serving on an Incoming Presidential Transition Team
This Legal Advisory discusses common ethics issues that may arise for current and former executive branch employees who are serving on a presidential transition team (PTT). This includes the application of the ethics rules concerning representational activity, nonpublic information, and receipt of payments and gifts from the PTT.
09/11/2024
(Legal) LA-24-10: Determining Whether a “Thematic” Fund is a Sector or Diversified Fund for Purposes of the Regulatory Exemptions Applicable to Mutual Funds
This Legal Advisory provides guidance on when “thematic” mutual funds are “sector funds” for purposes of the regulatory exemptions to 18 U.S.C. § 208.
07/31/2024
(Legal) LA-24-09: 2023 Conflict of Interest Prosecution Survey
OGE publishes its annual survey of prosecutions involving the conflict of interest criminal statutes and other related statutes for calendar year 2023.
07/30/2024
(Legal) LA-24-08: Applying the Senior Employee Post-Government Employment Restrictions to Employees Impacted by the Pay Freeze
This Legal Advisory explains the impact of the pay rate cap applicable to noncareer officials for 2024 on the application of the senior employee post-Government employment restrictions under 18 U.S.C. § 207(c).
07/22/2024
(Program) PA-24-04: 2024 Annual Agency Ethics Program Questionnaire
This program advisory provides an advance copy of the Annual Agency Ethics Program Questionnaire, explains how and when agencies must submit their response, describes the changes made from the previous questionnaire, and reminds agencies of the public availability of the questionnaire
07/18/2024
(Program) PA-24-03: Listing Information about Individuals Granted Certain Conflict of Interest Waivers
This Program Advisory announces the U.S. Office of Government Ethics' (OGE) plan to list information about individuals who receive conflict of interest waivers (waivers) issued under 18 U.S.C. § 208(b)(1) in its Officials’ Individual Disclosures Search Collection (Collection). This Advisory describes why, how, and when OGE will make this information available, and reminds agencies that they may withhold from public disclosure information that would be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
06/10/2024
(Legal) LA-24-07: Understanding the Recusal Obligations of Employees Affiliated with State and Local Government Entities
This Legal Advisory discusses the application of the terms “organization” under 18 U.S.C. § 208 and “person” under 5 C.F.R. § 2635.502 for employees with outside employment interests with state and local government entities.
06/03/2024
(Program) PA-24-02: Annual Update of Post-Employment Component Designations (18 U.S.C. § 207(c)) due to OGE by July 1, 2024
In this Program Advisory, OGE asks each agency to forward its annual letter stating whether its components that are currently designated should remain designated for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 207(c). Any request to modify the existing list of components should be submitted in accordance with regulatory procedures.
05/17/2024
(Legal) LA-24-06: Publication of Final Rule – Modernization Updates to Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch
The final rule making modernization updates to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (Standards) becomes effective on August 15, 2024. This Legal Advisory highlights some of the notable updates to the Standards which will go into effect at that time.
04/26/2024
(Legal) LA-24-05: Scope of the Exceptions to 18 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 205 Permitting Employees to Represent Others as a Personal Fiduciary
This Legal Advisory discusses the exceptions to 18 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 205 for representational contacts made by an employee when acting as a personal fiduciary of an individual or their estate.
04/24/2024
(Program) PA-24-01: Deadlines and Procedures for Annual Public Financial Disclosure Reports of Executive Branch Employees (2024 Filing Cycle)
This Program Advisory provides filing deadlines for the public financial disclosure reports of executive branch employees and procedures for the reports agencies are required to transmit to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
04/03/2024
(Legal) LA-24-04: Conflicts of Interest Considerations and Financial Disclosure Reporting Requirements for Managed Investment Accounts
This Legal Advisory highlights the potential conflict of interest risks and financial disclosure reporting challenges for employees who invest in managed accounts, including those managed by robo-advisors.
02/05/2024
(Legal) LA-24-03: Release of OGE’s Updated Public Financial Disclosure Guide
This Legal Advisory discusses the changes in the updated Public Financial Disclosure Guide.
01/31/2024
(Legal) LA-24-02: Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Products
This Legal Advisory discusses the application of certain ethics rules to several Bitcoin exchange-traded products (“Bitcoin ETPs”). As described in the Legal Advisory, these Bitcoin ETPs do not qualify for regulatory exemptions to the conflict of interest law 18 U.S.C. § 208. The Bitcoin ETPs do qualify as excepted investment funds for purposes of financial disclosure reporting.
01/04/2024
(Legal) LA-24-01: Effect of Pay Adjustments on Ethics Provisions for Calendar Year 2024
This Legal Advisory identifies the 2024 thresholds for: (1) determining which senior employees are subject to the post-employment restrictions; (2) identifying which officers and employees must file public financial disclosure reports; and (3) implementing the outside employment and outside earned income restrictions for certain covered noncareer employees.
12/20/2023
(Legal) LA-23-15: U.S. Office of Government Ethics Review of Nominees for Presidentially Appointed, Senate-Confirmed Positions
The Legal Advisory discusses OGE’s approach to resolving potential conflicts of interest and other ethics issues for nominees for Presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed positions.
11/13/2023
(Legal) LA-23-14: Release of OGE’s Updated Confidential Financial Disclosure Guide
This Legal Advisory discusses the changes in the updated Confidential Financial Disclosure Guide.
10/16/2023
(Program) PA-23-06: Demographic Survey of Ethics Practitioners in the Executive Branch
In support of OGE's equity efforts, this Program Advisory requests your participation in a short, four-question survey to identify the current demographics of the federal employees who implement the executive branch ethics program. OGE will use the results of this survey to compare to the 2021 results, to better understand the composition of the ethics community, to inform its DEIA Strategic Plan, and to tailor and create recruitment, retention, and professional development strategies for ethics practitioners.
09/28/2023
(Legal) LA-23-13: Ethics Guidance on Use of Professional Networking Platforms and Monetizing Social Media Activity
This Legal Advisory provides frequently raised questions and answers concerning the application of the Federal ethics laws to employees’ use of personal professional networking accounts and monetized personal social media activities.
09/27/2023
(Legal) LA-23-12: Identifying and Preventing Violations of 18 U.S.C. § 208 Arising from Digital Asset Ownership
This Legal Advisory provides guidance on when an employee may have a disqualifying financial interest under 18 U.S.C. § 208 arising from ownership of digital assets.
09/06/2023
(Program) PA-23-05: 2023 Annual Agency Ethics Program Questionnaire
This Program Advisory provides an advance copy of the Annual Agency Ethics Program Questionnaire, explains how and when agencies must submit their response, describes the changes made from the previous questionnaire, and reminds agencies of the public availability of the questionnaire.
07/31/2023
(Legal) LA-23-11: 2022 Conflict of Interest Prosecution Survey
OGE has completed its annual survey of prosecutions involving the conflict of interest criminal statutes and other related statutes for calendar year 2022.
07/11/2023
(Legal) LA-23-10: Guidance on Detailees Between Agencies and Need for Agency Coordination
This Legal Advisory provides guidance on the application of several ethics laws and regulations to detailees between executive branch agencies, including in relation to agency supplemental regulations, the Standards of Conduct, financial disclosure filing, and required ethics training.
07/05/2023
(Legal) LA-23-09: Availability of Exemptions in 5 C.F.R. Part 2640 When an Agency Waives its Prohibited Holding Rule
This Legal Advisory provides guidance regarding the availability of the exemptions found at 5 C.F.R. part 2640, subpart B, when an agency waives its prohibited holding rule.
06/22/2023
(Legal) LA-23-08: Increased Gifts and Travel Reimbursements Reporting Thresholds for Financial Disclosure Reports and Nonsponsor Widely Attended Gatherings Gift Exception Ceiling
This Legal Advisory discusses the recent amendments to the gifts and travel reimbursements reporting thresholds at 5 C.F.R. §§ 2634.304 and 2634.907(g) and the widely attended gatherings gift exception ceiling for nonsponsor gifts of free attendance at 5 C.F.R. § 2635.204(g)(3).
06/21/2023
(Legal) LA-23-07: Acceptance of Pro Bono Legal Services Under 5 C.F.R. Part 2635, Subpart J
The Legal Expense Fund regulation found at subpart J creates an established process for employees to accept pro bono legal services for matters arising in connection with their official position. This legal advisory provides guidance to ethics officials on how employees may accept pro bono legal services under the newly published Legal Expense Fund Regulation, 5 C.F.R. part 2635, subpart J.
06/01/2023
(Program) PA-23-04: Annual Update of Post-Employment Component Designations (18 U.S.C. § 207(c)) due to OGE by July 1, 2023
In this Program Advisory, OGE asks each agency to forward its annual letter stating whether its components that are currently designated should remain designated for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 207(c). Any request to modify the existing list of components should be submitted in accordance with regulatory procedures.
05/31/2023
(Legal) LA-23-06: Revised Compilation of Federal Ethics Laws
This Legal Advisory describes changes in OGE’s updated Compilation of Federal Ethics Laws.
05/26/2023
(Legal) LA-23-05: Overview of Final Rule Regarding Legal Expense Funds
This Legal Advisory provides an overview of the Legal Expense Fund Regulation at 5 C.F.R part 2635, subpart J.