Ethics

Use of Government Position and Resources

As a Service employee, you may not:

• Use your public office for your own private gain or for the private gain of friends, relations business associates, or any other entity, no matter how worthy; 
• Use or permit the use of your Service position, title or any authority associated with your public office in a manner that could reasonably be construed to imply that the Service or the Government sanctions or endorses any of your personal activities or those activities of another;
• Use Government owned or leased property and vehicles for unauthorized purposes;  
• Use Government purchasing authority or a Government charge card for personal acquisitions, even if you reimburse the Government;
• Remove Government property or files or use Government copiers to make copies of files to take with you when you leave Government service;
• Use official Government envelopes (with or without applied postage) or official letterhead stationery for personal business. This includes mailing your resumes/applications for Federal or private positions. Violation of the prohibition against using franked (postage paid) envelopes may result in a fine (18 U.S.C. § 1719);
• Use government time for other than official purposes; or
• Engage in any financial transactions using "insider" or non-public information (information not available to the public), or allow the improper use of non-public information to further your own private interest or that of another.

For more information see:

• 410 DM 2 Limited Personal Use of Government Office Equipment and Library Collections
• DOI Ethics Office website at:
  • Use of Your Public Office (Use of Public Position)
  • Use of Government Property, Time, and information
• Ethics Guidance: Employees' Public Expression of Personal Opinions
• Ethics FAQs: Use of Social Media and Email