Sometimes a person you affect in your government job may ask if you would consider a job with his company.  Perhaps you are auditing or regulating that company.  Even if you postpone discussions – say that you would like to talk about possible employment after you finish the audit – you are seeking employment.  You may not continue work on the audit unless and until your ethics official provides authorization.  

5 C.F.R. § 2635.603(b)(3) states:

For the purposes of the [seeking employment] definition, a response that defers discussions into the foreseeable future does not constitute rejection of an unsolicited employment overture, proposal, or resume nor rejection of a prospective employment possibility.