ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- If you are putting up holiday decorations, attending parties and eating festive foods, then the holiday season is well underway!
Exchanging gifts with coworkers may also be a part of your celebration.
To avoid putting a damper on holiday celebrations, federal employees are reminded that they must give responsibly to one another in the workplace.
Although certain small items such as coffee, donuts and greeting cards are not considered gifts, under ethics rules, most any other item of market value is a "gift."
The two categories for gifts under the Joint Ethics Regulation are: 1. gifts between supervisors and subordinates and 2. gifts from outside (prohibited) sources.
Supervisors and subordinates may exchange gifts within the workplace.
Supervisors may accept food and refreshments shared in the office and may contribute to the expenses of an office party.
Although the general rule is that supervisors may not accept gifts from subordinates, there are exceptions:
• During the holidays or other celebrations such as a birthday, supervisors may accept gifts (other than cash) of $10 value or less per occasion from a subordinate.
• For special occasions, such as marriage, birth or adoption of a child, or retirement, employees may give a supervisor a group gift if the total value of the gift does not exceed $300. Employees may not solicit more than $10 per employee to contribute to the group gift and the contributions must be voluntary.
• If a subordinate is invited to a social event at the supervisor's residence, the subordinate may give the supervisor a hospitality gift of the type and value customarily given on such an occasion.
There are no legal restrictions on gifts which are exchanged among coworkers; however, common sense (and good taste) should always apply within the workplace.
Employees may decline to accept a gift from a co-worker. Also, employees should not give or accept cash as a gift.
Gifts from contractors and other prohibited sources (any person seeking business with or official action by an employee's agency) during the holiday season are the same as any other time of the year:
• Federal employees may accept gifts (other than cash) not exceeding $20 from a prohibited source, as long as the total amount of gifts from that source does not exceed $50 for the year.
• Federal employees may accept gifts from a contractor employee that are based on a bona fide personal relationship. For ex�ample, an employee may accept a gift from his or her spouse who works for a contractor so long as the gift is actually paid for by the contractor's employee rather than the contractor.
• Federal employees may generally attend an open-house or reception and accept refreshments if it is a widely-attended gathering and the employee's supervisor approves attendance as being the Army's interest; refreshments should consist of soft drinks, coffee, pastries or similar items -- not a meal.
• Federal employees may accept invitations from contractors that are open to the public, to all government employees or to all military personnel.
• Federal employees may accept invitations offered to a group or class not related to government employment. For example, an employee who is a volunteer at a hospital may attend an event for hospital volunteers offered by a company that is also a government contractor.
• Federal employees may attend events if attendance is based on outside business or other relationships. For example, if a federal employee's spouse works for a contractor, the federal employee may accompany the spouse to contractor's holiday party for its employees.
If you have any questions about the ethics rules, you may contact an ethics counselor at the Anniston Army Depot Legal Office by calling 256-235-6518.
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