Civil Service FAQ Employee Conduct and Ethics Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

A civil servant discovers that a colleague is accepting small gifts from a contractor bidding on a government contract. What is the most appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Report it to the agency's ethics officer or inspector general

Answer

Ignore it since the gifts are small

Answer

Confront the colleague directly and demand they stop

Answer

Accept similar gifts to avoid appearing judgmental

Question 2

Under the U.S. Office of Government Ethics rules, what is the general dollar threshold for gifts a federal employee may accept from a prohibited source?

Accepted Answer

$20 per occasion, not exceeding $50 per year from one source

Answer

$0 — no gifts allowed under any circumstance

Answer

$50 per occasion, not exceeding $100 per year from one source

Answer

$100 per occasion with supervisor approval

Question 3

Which of the following best describes 'misuse of position' in the civil service context?

Accepted Answer

Using one's official title or authority to benefit a private business interest

Answer

Using government resources for official duties during work hours

Answer

Requesting overtime compensation for authorized emergency work

Answer

Attending a job-related training conference on government time

Question 4

A federal employee is offered a part-time consulting job with a private firm that does business with their agency. What must the employee do before accepting?

Accepted Answer

Obtain prior written approval from their agency's ethics official

Answer

Accept immediately since outside employment is always permitted

Answer

Consult only with a personal attorney

Answer

Notify their direct supervisor verbally and proceed if no objection is raised within 30 days

Question 5

What does the Hatch Act primarily restrict for most federal civil service employees?

Accepted Answer

Engaging in partisan political activity while on duty or in a federal facility

Answer

Accepting promotions while under performance review

Answer

Taking unpaid leave to campaign for a family member

Answer

Discussing policy disagreements with supervisors

Question 6

An employee learns through their official duties that a public company is about to lose a major federal contract. Using that information to sell the company's stock before the announcement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Insider trading and a serious ethics violation

Answer

Smart personal financial planning

Answer

Acceptable conduct if the employee's portfolio is in a blind trust

Answer

Permitted activity if the stock value is under $1,000