(i) Has, or is seeking to obtain, contractual or other business or financial relations with ACTION;

(ii) Has interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's official responsibility;

(iii) Is in any way attempting to affect the employee's exercise of his or her official responsibility; or

(iv) Conducts operations or activities that are regulated by ACTION.

(2) Paragraph (a)(1) of this section does not prohibit, even if the donor has dealings with ACTION:

(i) Acceptance of things of value from parents, children, or spouse if those relationships rather than the business of the donor is the motivating factor for the gift;

(ii) Acceptance of food and refreshments of nominal value on infrequent occasions in the ordinary course of breakfast, luncheon, or dinner meeting or other meetings;

(iii) Solicitation and acceptance of loans from banks or other financial institutions to finance proper and usual activities of employees, such as home mortgage loans, solicited and accepted on customary terms;

(iv) Acceptance on behalf of minor dependents of fellowships, scholarships, or educational loans awarded on the basis of merit and/or need;

(v) Acceptance of awards for meritorious public contribution or achievement given by a charitable, religious, professional, social, fraternal, nonprofit educational and recreational, public service, or civic organization.

(3) Regular or special employees need not return unsolicited advertising or promotional material, such as pens, pencils, note pads, calendars, and other things of nominal intrinsic value.

(b) From other ACTION employees. No employees in superior official positions may accept any gifts presented as contributions from employees receiving less salary than themselves. No employees shall solicit contributions from other employees for a gift to an employee in a superior official position, nor shall any employees make a donation as a gift to an employee in a superior official position. However, this paragraph does not prohibit a vol

untary gift of nominal value or donation in a nominal amount made on a special occasion such as marriage, illness, or retirement.

(c) From foreign governments. No regular employee may solicit or, without the consent of the Congress, receive any present, decoration, emolument, pecuniary favor, office, title, or any other gift from any foreign government. See 5 U.S.C. 7342; Executive Order 11320; and 22 CFR part 3 (as added, 32 FR 6469).

(d) Gifts to ACTION. Gifts to the United States or to ACTION may be accepted in accordance with ACTION regulations.

(e) Reimbursement for expenses. Neither this section nor § 1201.735-310(a) precludes an employee from receipt of bona fide reimbursement, unless prohibited by law, for expenses of travel and such other necessary subsistence as is compatible with this part and for which no Government payment or reimbursement is made. However, this paragraph does not allow an employee to be reimbursed, or payment to be made on his behalf, for excessive personal living expenses, gifts, entertainment, or other personal benefits. Nor does it allow an employee to receive non-Government reimbursement of travel expenses for travel on official business under ACTION orders; but rather, such reimbursement, if any, should be made to ACTION and amounts received should be credited to its appropriation. If an employee receives accommodations, goods, or services in kind from a non-Government source, this item or items will be treated as a donation to ACTION and an appropriate reduction will be made in per diem or other travel expenses payable.

rates, unless such transactions are duly authorized in advance by the agency;

(3) Sales to unauthorized persons (whether at cost or for a profit) of currency acquired at preferential rates through diplomatic or other restricted arrangements;

(4) Transactions which entail the use, without official sanction, of the diplomatic pouch;

(5) Transfers of funds on behalf of blocked nationals, or otherwise in violation of U.S. foreign funds and assets control;

(6) Independent and unsanctioned private transactions which involve an employee as an individual in violation of applicable control regulations of foreign governments;

(7) Acting as an intermediary in the transfer of private funds from persons in one country to persons in another country, including the United States;

(8) Permitting use of one's official title in any private business transactions or in advertisements for business purposes.

(b) Prohibitions in country of assignment. (1) A U.S. citizen employee shall not transact or be interested in any business or engage for profit in any profession or undertake other gainful employment in any country or countries to which he or she is assigned or detailed in his or her own name or through the agency of any other person.

(2) A U.S. citizen employee shall not invest in real estate or mortgages on properties located in his or her country of assignment. The purchase of a house and land for personal occupancy is not considered a violation of this paragraph.

(3) A U.S. citizen employee shall not invest money in bonds, shares, or stocks of commercial concerns headquartered in his or her country of assignment or conducting a substantial portion of business in such country. Such investments, if made prior to knowledge of assignment or detail to such country or countries, may be retained during such assignment or detail.

(4) A U.S. citizen employee shall not sell or dispose of personal property, including automobiles, at prices produc

(a) Release of information to press. (1) Regular or special employees shall not withhold information from the press or public unless that information is classified or administratively controlled (limited official use). All responses to requests for information from the press should be referred to the Office of Communications or regional communications officers as appropriate who will be responsible for all releases. Regular and special employees should be certain that information given to the press and public is accurate and complete.

(2) Any questions as to the classification or administrative control of information should be referred to the general counsel.

(3) No regular or special employee may record by electronic or other device any telephone or other conversation. No regular or special employee may listen in on any telephone conversation without the consent of all parties thereto.

(b) Disclosure and misuse of inside information. No employee may, directly or indirectly, disclose or use for his or her own benefit, or for the private benefit of another, inside information as described in paragraph (c) of this section. The use of such information by an employee is restricted to the proper performance of his or her official duties. The disclosure of such information is restricted to official ACTION channels unless disclosure is authorized by the Director, the Deputy Director, an Associate Director, or a Regional Director of ACTION. In particular, no employee may:

(1) Engage in, directly or indirectly, a financial transaction as a result of or primarily relying on such information;

or

(2) Publish any book or article, or deliver any speech or lecture, based on or using such information.

(c) Definition: The term "inside information" as used in this section

means, generally, information obtained under Government authority which is not known by the general public and which could affect the rights or interests of the Government or of a non-Government organization or person. Such information includes information about ACTION operations or administration, and personnel which could influence someone's dealing with ACTION.

(d) This section is not intended to discourage the disclosure through proper channels of information which has been or should be made public, or which is by law to be made available to the public. Also, employees are encouraged to teach, lecture, and write, provided they do so in accordance with the provisions of this section and §§ 1201.735-301, and 1201.735-306.

§ 1201.735-310 Speeches; participation in conferences.

(a) Fees and expenses. (1) Although an employee may not accept a fee for his or her own use or benefit for making a speech, delivering a lecture, or participating in a discussion if the subject is ACTION or ACTION programs or if such services are part of the employee's official ACTION duties, the employee may suggest that the amount otherwise payable as a fee or honorarium be contributed to ACTION.

(2) When a meeting, discussion, etc., to which paragraph (a)(1) of this section refers takes place at a substantial distance from the employee's home he or she may accept reimbursement for the actual cost of transportation and necessary subsistence, or expenses, but in no case shall he or she receive any amount for personal benefit. Such reimbursements shall be reported by the employee to his or her immediate supervisors.

(3) An employee may accept fees for speeches, etc., dealing with subjects other than ACTION or ACTION programs when no official funds have been used in connection with his or her appearance and such activities do not interfere with the efficient performance of his or her duties.

(b) Racial segregation. No employee may participate for ACTION in conferences or speak for ACTION before

audiences where any racial group has been segregated or excluded from the meeting, from any of the facilities or conferences, or from membership in the organization sponsoring the conference or meeting.

(1) When a request for ACTION speakers or participation is received under circumstances where segregation may be practiced, the Director of the Office of Communications shall make specific inquiry as to the practices of the organization before the request is filled.

(2) If the inviting organization shows a willingness to modify its practices for the occasion, ACTION will cooperate in such efforts.

(3) Exceptions to this paragraph may be made only by the Director, ACTION and in his or her discretion.

§ 1201.735-311 Partisan political activities. (a) Prohibited activities: No employee may:

(1) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the result thereof; or

(2) Take any active part in partisan political management or in political campaigns, except as may be provided by or pursuant to statute 5 U.S.C. 7324.

(b) Intermittent employees: Persons employed on an irregular or occasional basis are subject to paragraph (a) of this section only while in active duty status and for the 24 hours of any day of actual employment.

(c) Excepted activities: Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to:

(1) Nonpartisan campaigns and elections in which none of the candidates is to be nominated by or elected as representing a national or State political party, such as most school board elections; or

(2) Political activities connected with questions of public interest which are not specifically identified with national or State political parties, such as constitutional amendments, referenda, and the like (5 U.S.C. 7326).

(d) Excepted communities: Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to employees who are residents of certain communities. These commu

nities, which have been designated by the Civil Service Commission (5 CFR 733.301), consist of a number of communities in suburban Washington, DC, and a few communities elsewhere in which a majority of the voters are Government employees. Employees who are residents of the designated communities may be candidates for, or campaign for others who are candidates for, local office if they or the candidates for whom they are campaigning are running as independent candidates. An employee may hold local office only in accordance with §§ 1201.735-301 through 1201.735-306 relating to outside employment and associations.

(e) Special Government employees are subject to the statute for the 24 hours of each day on which they do any work for the Government.

(f) While regular employees may explain and support governmental programs that have been enacted into law, in exercising their official responsibilities they should not publicly support or oppose pending legislation, except in testimony required by the Congress.

(g) The Foreign Service Act generally prohibits any Foreign Service employee from:

(1) Corresponding in regard to the public affairs of any foreign government, except with the proper officers of the United States; and

(2) Recommending any person for employment in any position of trust or profit under the government of the country to which he or she is detailed or assigned.

§ 1201.735-312 Use of Government property.

A regular or special employee shall not directly or indirectly use, or allow the use of, Government property of any kind, including property leased to the Government for other than officially approved activities. All employees have a positive duty to protect and conserve Government property, including equipment, supplies, and other property entrusted or issued to them. By law, penalty envelopes may be used only for official Government mail.

§ 1201.735-313 Indebtedness.

ACTION considers the indebtedness of its employees to be a matter of their own concern and will not function as a collection agency. Nevertheless, a regular or special employee shall pay each just financial obligation in a proper and timely manner, especially one imposed by law such as Federal, State, or local taxes. For the purpose of this section, a "just financial obligation" means one acknowledged by the employee or reduced to judgment by a court, or one imposed by law such as Federal, State or local taxes, and "in a proper and timely manner" means in a manner which the agency determines does not, under the circumstances, reflect adversely on the Government as his or her employer. In the event of a dispute between an employee and an alleged creditor, this section does not require ACTION to determine the validity or amount of the disputed debt.

§ 1201.735-314 Gambling, betting, and lotteries.

A regular or special employee shall not participate, while on Government owned or leased property or while on duty for the Government in any gambling activity including the operation of a gambling device, in conducting a lottery or pool, in a game for money or property, or in selling or purchasing a numbers slip or ticket.

§ 1201.735-315 Discrimination.

No regular or special employee may make inquiry concerning the race, political affiliation, or religious beliefs of any employee or applicant in connection with any personnel action and may not practice, threaten, or promise any action against or in favor of an employee or applicant for employment because or race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and in the competitive service on the basis of politics, marital status, or physical handicap.

§ 1201.735-316 Related statutes and regulations.

Each employee should be aware of the following related statutes and regulations:

(a) House Concurrent Resolution 175, 8th Congress, second session, 72A Stat. B12, the "Code of Ethics for Government Service."

(b) The prohibition against lobbying with appropriated funds (18 U.S.C. 1913).

(c) The prohibitions against disloyalty and striking (5 U.S.C. 7311, 18 U.S.C. 1918).

(d) The prohibition against accepting honorariums of more than $2,000 per speech, appearance or article or aggregating more than $25,000 in any calendar year (2 U.S.C. 441i).

(e) The prohibitions against: (1) The disclosure of classified information (18 U.S.C. 798, 50 U.S.C. 783); and (2) the disclosure of confidential information (18 U.S.C. 1905).

(f) The provisions relating to the habitual use of toxicants to excess (5 U.S.C. 7352).

(g) The prohibition against the misuses of a Government vehicle (31 U.S.C. 638(a) (c)).

(h) The prohibition against the misuses of the franking privilege (18 U.S.C. 1719).

(i) The prohibition against the use of deceit in an examination or personnel action in connection with Government employment (18 U.S.C. 1917).

(j) The prohibition against fraud or false statements in a Government matter (18 U.S.C. 1001).

(k) The prohibition against mutilating or destroying a public record (18 U.S.C. 2071).

(1) The prohibition against counterfeiting and forging transportation requests (18 U.S.C. 508).

(m) The prohibitions against: (1) Embezzlement of Government money or property (18 U.S.C. 641); (2) failing to account for public money (18 U.S.C. 643); and (3) embezzlement of the money or property of another person in the possession of an employee by reason of his or her employment (18 U.S.C. 654).

(n) The prohibition against unauthorized use of documents relating to claims from or by the Government (18 U.S.C. 285).

(0) The prohibitions against political activities in subchapter III of chapter 73 of title 5, United States Code, and 18 U.S.C. 602, 603, 607, and 608.

(p) The prohibition against gifts to employee's superiors and the acceptance thereof (Rev. Stat. 1784, 5 U.S.C. 113).

(q) Chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, relating to bribery, graft, and conflicts of interest, which is specifically applicable to special Government employees as well as to regular employees.

(r) The prohibitions against: (1) Accepting gifts from foreign governments; (2) engaging in business abroad; (3) corresponding on the affairs of foreign governments; and (4) discrimination on political, racial, or religious grounds contained in sections 1002 through 1005 of the Foreign Service Act of 1946, as amended.

(s) The prohibition against an employee acting as the agent of a foreign principal registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (18 U.S.C. 219).

(t) The prohibition against appointing or advocating the appointment of a relative to a position within the Agency (5 U.S.C. 3110).

Subpart D-Procedures for Submission by Employees and Review of Statements of Employment and Financial Interests

§ 1201.735-401

Submission of staternents.

(a) (1) Regulations of the Civil Service Commission (5 CFR part 735) require ACTION to adopt regulations providing for the submission of statements of employment and financial interests from certain regular ACTION employees and all special ACTION employees.

(2) All special employees and those regular employees designated in paragraph (b) of this section shall complete statements of employment and financial interests and submit them to the Office of General Counsel not later than 5 days after their entrance on duty. The Director of Personnel Management shall be responsible for supplying all new employees with the necessary forms either prior to or on the first day of their employment.

(3) The statement of employment and financial interests shall include information on organizations with which