Effective Date: 12/14/79

Series: Delegation

Part 205: General Delegations

Chapter 2: Attendance at Meetings and Acceptance of Contributions

Originating Office: Ethics Staff

2.1 General. Assistant Secretaries; the Solicitor; the Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals; Assistant Secretary - Territorial and International Affairs; the Director, Office of Youth Programs; the High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Inspector General are delegated the following authorities:

A. Attendance at Professional Meetings. Under the provisions in 370 DM 410,8 to approve the attendance of employees at professional meetings which are concerned with the functions or activities for which the appropriation is made or which will contribute to improved conduct, supervision, or management of these functions or activities, and to determine which meetings should be attended and which employees should attend. The criteria to be applied in selecting employees to participate in conferences, conventions, and symposia meetings, as set forth in 370 DM 410,8.2, must be fully applied.

B. Acceptance of Contributions, Awards, and Payments from Non-Government Organization Incident to Training and Attendance at Meetings. Under 370 DM 410,7 to approve the acceptance of contributions, awards, or other payments in cash or in kind for expenses incident to training in non-Government facilities or attendance at meetings. Acceptance may be approved only when: (1) the contribution, award, or payment is appropriate to meet necessary expenses; and (2) the donor is an organization described by 26 U.S.C. 501(c) (3) which is exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501(a). Compensation contributed out of the treasury of any State, county or municipality is also exempt (18 U.S.C. 209(a)).

2.2 Redelegations. The authority contained in 205 DM 2.1A may be redelegated to any appropriate management level provided appropriate standards or criteria are specified to insure that Departmental attendance is limited to essential participation. The authority in 205 DM 2.1B may not be delegated below the level of associate or assistant head of a bureau or the head of an office except the Solicitor who may redelegate to the Deputy Solicitor and the Associate Solicitor.

2.3 Relationship to Supervisory Responsibilities. The delegation is not intended to restrict the normal authorities or responsibilities of supervisors to approve or disapprove an employee's attending a local professional meeting during working hours when there is no direct expense to the Government. The criteria in 370 DM 410,8.2 on attendance at conferences, conventions and symposia must be considered by supervisors in making such decisions.

2.4 Relationship to Attendance at Other Meetings. Meetings of groups or organizations of any kind devoted exclusively to discussion or resolution of problems, or to the formulation or modification of official plans or programs, or courses of action directly related to ongoing work are not considered within the meaning of sections 4110 or 4111 of title 5 U.S. Code, whether or not travel is involved. Participation in such meetings by authorized employees is considered to be performance of regularly assigned duties. Authority to assign employees to meetings of this nature is under the delegation of authority to perform the work in questions rather than under the regulations governing attendance at meetings.

2.5 Relationship to Nonofficial Expression. General policy and procedures concerning nonofficial expression are published in 478 DM 1.

2.6 Amendment Authority. This chapter does not limit the authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Budget, and Administration by 209 DM 4. The Assistant Secretary - Policy, Budget, and Administration is authorized to amend, limit, suspend, or revoke any authority granted by or pursuant to this chapter. This authority may not be redelegated.

2/14/79 #2152

Replaces 7/1/71 #1310