ETHICS

NIH Ethics Program

The purpose of the NIH Ethics Program is to assist NIH staff to meet the requirements of the statutes and regulations governing behavior of employees of the Federal Government. Various staff within the ICs are charged with specific responsibilities for reviewing forms, assisting staff with procedures and questions, and submitting appropriate reports on ethics activities.

The NIH Ethics Program Coordinator in the NIH Office of the Director (OD) oversees the NIH Ethics Program. In addition, an ethics lawyer from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) maintains an office at the NIH to assist IC Directors, Deputy Ethics Counselors, and Ethics Contacts.

Issues Covered

The Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR Part 2635 is a uniform set standards applicable to all employees in the Executive Branch. The following are examples of issues covered:

• Gifts from Outside Sources
• Gifts Between Employees
• Conflicting Financial Interests
• Impartiality in Performing Official Duties
• Post-employment Restrictions
• Misuse of Position
• Outside Activities

Contact Information

For specific information, contact your IC Deputy Ethics Counselor, your IC Ethics Coordinator, or the NIH Ethics Coordinator in the Office of Human Resource Management. You may also go the the NIH Ethics program website at http://ethics.od.nih.gov/default.htm.