USPS reminds employees that they must follow ethics rules

The Postal Service wants to remind employees of the importance of complying with the rules regarding financial conflicts of interest.

The public may lose confidence in USPS if they believe employees’ work is influenced by their own personal interests.

Federal law prohibits government employees from taking part in matters in which they have a personal financial interest.

This includes decisions that might affect the financial interest of a spouse or a minor child, as well as decisions that might affect an employee’s outside businesses or business partners.

Employees who violate federal ethics laws may face criminal prosecution as well as disciplinary action by the Postal Service.

Other things USPS wants employees to consider:

• Your financial interests. Would they be affected by your approval or management of a contract, agreement, initiative or invoice?

• Financial interests of people you know. Would your spouse, minor child, general partner, outside employer or an organization in which you are serving as director, officer or trustee be affected by your approval or management of a contract, agreement, initiative or invoice?

• Potential employment. If you are negotiating for a new job, would your future employer be affected by the decisions you make?

If employees have concerns, they should contact the Ethics Office before working on matters that involve their financial interests.

In addition, employees should also contact the Ethics Office before they participate in any matter that involves the financial interests of certain additional parties. These relationships could involve impartiality concerns.

The Ethics Office will help employees determine whether they should disqualify themselves from the situation or whether an authorization to continue working on the matter is appropriate.

For further guidance, call the office at 202-268-6346 or email ethics.help@usps.gov.