David Maggi, Chief
EthicsDivision[at]doc[dot]gov
Tel: (202) 482-5384
Fax: (202) 482-2998
Forms & Instructions
Financial Disclosure Forms
STOCK Act
- Administrative Law Advisory on the STOCK Act
- Privacy Concerns on Financial Reports
- Employee Negotiation Notice
Gifts Forms
Ethics Rules
Summaries of the Ethics Rules
- Department of Commerce
- BEA
- BIS
- Census
- EDA
- ESA
- ITA
- MBDA
- NIST
- NOAA
- NTIA
- NTIS
- OS
- USPTO
- Persons who work with the United States Government
Rules for Specific Employees
- FMC-Members
- FMC-Staff
- ITA-Locally Hired Employees
- ITA Overseas
- Special Government Employees
- Future Employees
- Visiting Scholars to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Disqualification
Gifts
Outside Activities
Political Activities
- Political Activities
- Political Activities-Temps
- Political Activities in Depth
- Hatch Act Pamphlet
- Hatch Act Video
- Political Event Review Form
- Official Event Review Form
- Information for Organizers
Leaving the Government
- Seeking Employment
- Post-employment
- Seeking & Post-employment in Depth
- Post-emp for SL/ST Employees
- Post-emp for EDA Employees
Ethics Training
Must be completed using Internet Explorer
Welcome
The Ethics Law and Programs Division of the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Administration provides advice to Department of Commerce employees regarding the Executive Branch ethics rules and restrictions.
Office Description
Advisory Services
The Ethics Law and Programs Division staff provides guidance on issues including financial and non-financial conflicts of interest, outside activities including political activities, gifts, and post-employment restrictions. To ensure that advisory services are readily available, an attorney is assigned each day to answer telephone questions and e-mail inquiries.
Financial Disclosure Reports
The Division is also responsible for operating the Department’s financial disclosure program. Employees in senior positions, including procurement officials, are required annually to file a financial disclosure report, in which the employee provides information regarding investments, sources of income, liabilities, gifts, and non-Federal positions held. Some reports are available to the public (SF 278s); others are confidential (OGE Form 450s). All are reviewed by the Ethics Law and Programs Division staff to identify potential conflicts and to advise employees on corrective measures.
Ethics Training Program
The Division operates the Department’s ethics training program. Through this program, the Division provides briefings to individual employees and groups of employees on ethics statutes, regulations, and policies. Briefings are offered at Washington, D.C. headquarters, major suburban offices, and in field offices around the country.