01/27/2017

New Gift Rules in Place for Executive Branch

The rules went into effect Jan. 1, 2017

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) recently updated the gift rules for executive branch officials in a move to “more effectively advance public confidence in the integrity of Federal officials.”

The updated rules went into effect Jan. 1, 2017 and, while it could be undone in the new administration, for now, it’s important to know the changes that affect how associations and other organizations can engage with executive branch appointees and other federal employees.

The Venable law firm has a good summary of the major changes in the gift rules, which include clarification that alcoholic beverages do not fall under the category of “modest items of food and refreshment” that are excluded from the definition of a gift, and a requirement that executive branch employees obtain written authorization prior to attending a “widely-attended” gathering, regardless of whether they are speaking at the event. While the rules have always required federal employees to obtain approval to attend a widely-attended event, written approval is a new requirement.

The guidance also urges federal employees to “decline otherwise permissible gifts when accepting them would raise concerns about the appearance of impropriety.”

This article was provided to OSAE by The Power of A.