About Us
General Principles
Executive branch employees hold their positions as a public trust and American citizens have a right to expect that all employees will place loyalty to the Constitution, laws and ethical principles above private gain. Employees fulfill that trust by adhering to general principles of ethical conduct as well as specific ethical standards.
Memorandum issued by President George W. Bush, January 20, 2001, states 14 general principles that broadly define the obligations of public service. Underlying these 14 principles are two core concepts - -
- employees shall not use public office for private gain, and
- employees shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual.
In addition, employees must strive to avoid any action that would create the appearance that they are violating the law or ethical standards.
By observing these general principles, employees help to ensure that citizens have complete confidence in the integrity of Government operations and programs.
Reference: Executive Order (E.O.) 11222, E.O. 12674, as modified by E.O. 12731, 3 C.F.R., 1990 Comp., pp. 306-311; 5 C.F.R. § 2635.101.
Page last modified: March 28, 2007