Effective February 3, 1993, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for
Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR Part 2635 replaced the
many individual agency standards of conduct regulations with a
uniform set of standards applicable to all employees of the Executive
Branch. Where necessary, individual agencies have authority to issue
supplemental regulations.
Because they are intended to answer questions about the ethical conduct of more than a million individuals employed by more than 100 different Federal agencies, the new Standards of Ethical Conduct are detailed. They contain many examples and readily answer most ethical questions employees have. The attached synopsis has been prepared by the Office of Government Ethics to give employees enough familiarity with the contents of the regulations to recognize ethical issues when they arise and to assist in looking up relevant provisions in the regulations. Because the synopsis provides a shorthand reference to lengthier provisions in the regulations, an employee must refer to the full regulations in resolving ethical issues that arise or may seek the advice of an Agency ethics official.