Teaching, speaking and writing activities

Policy. Generally, an employee, including a special Government employee, may not receive compensation from any source other than the Government for a teaching, speaking or writing acitivity that relates to the employee's official duties.

For purposes of this policy, a teaching, speaking or writing acitivity relates to the employee's official duties if:

 

    (a) The activity is undertaken as part of the employee's official duties;

 

    (b) The circumstances indicate that the invitation to engage in the activity was

extended to the employee primarily because of his official position rather than his

expertise on the particular subject matter;

 

    (c) The invitation to engage in the activity or the offer of compensation for the activity was extended to the employee, directly or indirectly, by a person who has interests that may be affected substantially by performance or nonperformance of the employee's official duties;

 

    (d) The information conveyed through the activity draws substantially on ideas or official data that are nonpublic information; or

 

    (e) the subject of the activity deals in significant part with:

 

            (1) any matter to which the employee presently is assigned or to which the

            employee had been assigned during the previous one-year period;

 

            (2) any ongoing or announced policy, program or operation of the agency; or

            (3) In the case of a noncareer employee as defined in 5 CFR 2636.303(a),
            the general subject matter, area, industry, or economic sector primarily
            affected by the programs and operations of his agency.

 

Exception for teaching certain courses.  With agency approval, an employee may accept compensation for teaching a course requiring multiple presentations by the employee if  the course is offered as part of:

   (a) The regularly established curriculum of:

 

        (1) an institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1141(a);

 

        (2) an elementary school as defined at 20 U.S.C. 2891(8); or

        (3) a secondary school as defined at 20 U.S.C. 2891(21); or

 

    (b) A program of education or training sponsored and funded by the Federal
Government or by a  state or local government which is not offered by an entity described in part (a).
   

Acceptance of travel expenses.  Although employees may not accept compensation in connection with a teaching, speaking or writing activity that relates to their official duties, they may in such cases accept travel expenses paid for by a non-Federal source if:

 

          b. they are career employees of the Senior Executive Service

 

Reference to official position.  An employee who is engaged in teaching, speaking or writing as outside employment or as an outside activity may not use or permit the use of his official title or position to identify him in connection with his teaching, speaking or writing activity or to promote any book, seminar, course, program or similar undertaking, except that:

   (a)  An employee may include or permit the inclusion of his title or position as one of
several biographical details when such information is given to identify him in connection with his teaching, speaking or writing, provided that his title or position is
given no more prominence than other significant biographical details;

    (b) An employee may use, or permit the use of, his title or position in connection with an article published in a scientific or professional journal, provided that the title or position is accompanied by a reasonably prominent disclaimer satisfactory to the
agency stating that the views expressed in the article do not necessarily represent the views of the agency or the United States; and

 

   (c) An employee who is ordinarily addressed using a general term of address, such as "The Honorable," or a rank, such as a military or ambassadorial rank, may use or  permit the use of that term of address or rank in connection with his teaching,          speaking or writing.

Important.  Due to the complexity of this subject matter, this page only provides general policy information on the rules governing teaching, speaking and writing activities.  If you have a complex issue that cannot be answered by the guidance on this page, you are strongly encouraged to seek the assistance of your servicing ethics counselor or to refer to the regulations and examples governing teaching, speaking and writing activities in 5 CFR 2635.807.