The Postal Service’s Ethics Office wants employees to remember the importance of complying with the rules regarding financial conflicts of interest.
Federal law prohibits government employees from taking part in matters in which they have a personal financial interest.
This includes decisions that might affect the financial interest of a spouse or a minor child, as well as decisions that might affect an employee’s outside businesses or business partners.
Employees who violate the federal conflicts of interest law may face criminal prosecution as well as disciplinary action by the Postal Service.
The Ethics Office recommends that employees take a look at their stocks, bonds, sector mutual funds, real estate, commodities, outside business relationships and outside employment to spot potential conflicts.
Other things USPS wants employees to consider:
• Your financial interests. Would they be affected by your approval or management of a contract, agreement, initiative or invoice?
• Financial interests of people you know. Would your spouse, minor child, general partner, outside employer or an organization in which you are serving as director, officer or trustee be affected by your approval or management of the contract, agreement, initiative or invoice?
• Potential employment. If you are negotiating for a new job, would your future employer be affected by the decisions you make?
If an employee is concerned that a relationship would raise a question about impartiality, he or she should discuss the matter with the Ethics Office.
The Ethics Office will help employees determine whether they should disqualify themselves from the situation or whether an authorization to continue working on the matter is appropriate.
For further guidance, email the Ethics Office at ethics.help@usps.gov.
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