Ethics guidance

Employees of the Executive Branch are subject to a number of criminal statutes and related regulatory provisions, including those of 5 C.F.R. Part 2635 which sets forth Standards of Ethical Conduct. These standards and a summary of them may be found via the following link to the United States Office of Government Ethics:

5 C.F.R. Part 2635: Standards of ethical conduct for employees of the executive branch

Conflicts of interest, which require an employee's disqualification from certain matters, can arise based upon the employee's financial interests or personal relationships.


The documents below contain additional information on conflicts of interest, disqualifications, and recusal.
 

 Word About Ethics (textual descriptions)
Ethics At A Glance (graphical depictions)
Employees with questions should seek advice from ethics officials at the Department of Commerce, Office of General Counsel, Ethics Law and Programs Office. See Ethics Law and Programs Office | Office of the General Counsel (commerce.gov).