July 31, 2008

                                                                                                                                     DT-08-023

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Designated Agency Ethics Officials

FROM:            Matthew S. Cross

                        Associate Director for Education

SUBJECT:       Public Financial Disclosure Employee Crossword Puzzle

            The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has developed a series of ethics crossword puzzles to enhance your ethics training for executive branch employees.  OGE has released puzzles on misuse of position, outside activities, gifts, general things you should know about ethics, and seeking and post employment.  The next puzzle in the series – Public Financial Disclosure – is now available.

     The puzzles may be used for a variety of purposes.  For example, you may distribute the puzzles:

·        During in-person annual ethics training

·        As part of written annual ethics training during the two years in which you do not provide verbal training 

·        As part of a leadership initiative aimed at your agency’s supervisors, encouraging them to discuss the answers with their employees at a staff meeting

·        During presentations to employees

·        As part of your ethics or agency newsletter.

The public financial disclosure puzzle is available in three formats: a fillable online version, a 508 compliant version, and a printed version.  All versions are available on our web site at: http://www.usoge.gov/training/crossword_puzzles.aspx.

Please note that the fillable version requires JAVA.  Therefore, please check with your agency’s information resources staff to see if your agency has JAVA enabled in your internet browser.  The Section 508 compliant version requires employees to download and install the talking word puzzle on their computers.  Again, please check with your agency’s information resources staff. 

For questions about the puzzle, please contact me at 202-482-9250.