Employees who give or receive gifts while on the job should remember what is and isn’t allowed.
The federal standards of ethical conduct apply all year long — and are especially important to remember during the holidays.
“This is a special time of year as well as ‘our season,’ and dealing with a violation of the ethics rules can distract us from the important work we do during the holidays,” said Associate General Counsel and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Michael Elston. “But if we all follow the rules, we can keep the holiday cheer going into the new year.”
USPS also has released a holiday ethics guide to help employees become familiar with the standards of ethical conduct.
The guide includes rules that apply to gift exchanges between employees, receiving gifts from outside sources — including contractors — and attending parties hosted by organizations outside USPS.
Employees with questions about the guide or specific situations can call the ethics hotline at 202-268-6346 or send an email to ethics.help@usps.gov.