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Effective Date: 5/12/75

Series: Departmental Management

Part 308: Committee Management

Chapter 7: Employee Participation in State, Local and Community Committees

Originating Office: Immediate Office of the Secretary

7.1 Policy. There are occasions when Departmental employees in the field are asked to participate in community committees, in local government (town, city, county, district) committees, or in State government advisory groups.

A. When the invitation to participate is extended to the employee as an individual and not in his capacity as a Federal Government official (particularly in such groups as community welfare or local citizen improvement associations), such participation is considered as personal and outside the sphere of his Federal employment. No supervisory approval is necessary for such personal participation.

B. When the invitation to participate in local or State government advisory or coordinating groups is extended to the employee in his official capacity, the employee=s acceptance is contingent on the approval of his bureau or office. The bureau or office head may establish the level at which this approval is given. The following procedures are provided as a guide, and will be followed by bureaus and offices which do not establish alternative procedures:

(1) For community local government (village, town, city) The approval of the employee=s supervising field official; or - if no field supervisor - the employee=s supervisor at headquarters.

(2) For larger area local government (county, district) The approval of the ranking bureau or office field official (state, area or regional director), if higher in chain of command than employee=s immediate supervisor; if no field supervisor, employee=s supervisor at headquarters.

(3) For State and larger area government (State, area, region) The approval of the head of the bureau or office and the concurrence of the Field Special Assistant to the Secretary within whose jurisdiction the governing body is located (see 110 DM 3).

C. Participation in local and State Government advisory and coordinating groups, when invited, is encouraged as a matter of Departmental policy in light of current legislative and executive support in intergovernmental affairs. However, there may be occasions when - because of unusual situations - it may be necessary to decline invitations to participate. Such occasions should be handled with discretion, and with full consent of the official who would have ordinarily approved the participation.

7.2 Procedures. Bureaus and offices should establish internal procedures to provide for making requests and approvals of participation as provided in 308 DM 7.lB. These procedures should include provisions for notifying the bureau or office Committee Management Officer of all approvals and terminations of participation in such committee activities, to facilitate any reporting requirements of the Office of the Secretary.

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5/12/75 #3519

Replaces 5/12/75 #1759