Ethics and morals

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Ethics and morals in and out of Government
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Would You Vote for

• Someone who was previously convicted of a felony
  crime?
• Someone who previously cheated people out of
  money?
• Someone who is known to have cheated on his/her
  spouse many times?
• Someone who has abused a spouse or a child even
  their own children?
• Someone who has used his or her position to help
  family members to obtain goods or services that
  they would otherwise not have obtained?
• Someone who has placed family members in
  positions of power or influence in the government?

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Ethics and Morality

• Ethics is a set of moral principles and a code
  for behavior that govern an individuals actions
  with other individuals and within society.
• Morality is what people believe to be right and
  good, while ethics is a critical reflection about
  morality.

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Civic Values In American Society

• Civic Values refers to those important principles
  that serve as the foundation for our democratic
  form of government. These values include justice,
  honesty, self-discipline, due process, equality,
  majority rule with respect for minority rights,
  and respect for self, others, and property.

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Laws

• Laws are brought about by tension, agitation and
  conflict by dramatic situations.
• Laws protect the welfare and safety of society,
  resolve conflicts, and are constantly evolving.
• Laws have governed the practice of medicine, the
  law, education and many other professions for
  over one hundred of years. These laws may be
  FEDERAL or STATE
• Laws are societal rules or regulations that are
  obligatory to observe.

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Ethical Dilemma

• Value conflicts, no clear consensus as to the
  right thing to do. A conflict between moral
  obligations that are difficult to reconcile and
  require moral reasoning.

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Ethical Dilemma

• Situations necessitating a choice between two
  equal (usually undesirable) alternatives
• As in medicine If you can do no good then at
  least do NO HARM
• Sometimes you must choose a course of action that
  does THE LEAST HARM

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ETHICS VS. GOVERNMENT ETHICS

• Personal ethics
• Gut feelings
• Morals and values
• Government ethics
• Rules and regulations
• Not intuitive- generally well defined
• Help you to develop radar (awareness) of and for
  ethics issues
• Use available resources most organizations have
  behavior codes just like schools

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GENERAL PRINCIPLES

• Lesson objectives
• Help you conduct business w/o personal risk
• Protect you from potential liability
• Help you to identify potential ethics issues in
  your work or life in general

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• Misuse of Position (Time, Property, Nonpublic
  Information)
• Impartiality and Appearances
• Gifts from Outside Sources
• Gifts Between Employees (generally over 50 in
  value)
• Fundraising for personal gain
• Cheating
• Plagiarizing material not written by you or not
  giving credit to the source

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Some important thoughts for schools and business

• Rules promote public service is a public trust
  concept
• Private sector business courtesies can create
  problems for public sector employees
• Appearances count even if it only APPEARS
  improper, the damage may already be done
• Dont guess. If you have a question or need
  guidance, ASK AN ETHICS ADVISOR- they do exist

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MISUSE OF POSITION

• 1. Use of public office for private gain
• 2. Use of nonpublic information
• 3. Use of government or employer (school)
  property
• 4. Use of official time

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MISUSE OF POSITION

• Underlying principles
• Make proper use of official authority, time and
  resources
• Safeguard information and resources to which you
  have access because of your job or political
  position or connections
• Elected officials are accountable to the public
  and the tax payers

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1. USE OF PUBLIC OFFICE FOR PRIVATE GAIN

• Using your position to
• Try to get special benefits for yourself or
  others
• Endorse private products, services, individuals,
  companies
• Perform official duties in a way that is
  advantageous to a private interest -- yours or
  anothers

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USE OF NONPUBLIC INFORMATION

• Use nonpublic information only in connection with
  official government business
• If you dont know whether information is public,
  assume it isnt
• Confidentiality need to know
• Do I really need to know this? Does someone else
  who may ask me?
• Why?

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3. USE OF SCHOOL (EMPLOYER) PROPERTY

• Equipment and services are provided for official
  business purposes
• Limited Personal Use of Office Equipment
  computers, copy machines, paper shredders etc.
  etc.
• Proper authorization may still be required by
  your manager, office policy, teacher or
  administrator.

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MISUSE SITUATIONS TO CONSIDER- Which would YOU
permit?

• Playing computer games in the office
• Surfing the internet re vacation plans, E-bay
  etc.
• Making copies of your income tax forms or other
  personal papers
• Scheduling a doctors appointment
• Phoning your child to make sure she got home from
  school and is doing homework

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IMPARTIALITY AND APPEARANCES

• Elected officials must treat customers,
  contractors, vendors, and others, fairly and
  impartially
• Employees should strive to avoid appearances of
  impropriety
• Think of it as a question of fairness.
• Ask Could a reasonable person legitimately
  question the fairness of my actions in this
  matter?

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IMPARTIALITY AND APPEARANCES

• Use the News Observer test
• Think about how youd feel explaining the
  situation to your boss, your VP, your colleagues,
  your mother or child, a congressional
  committee...
• Employees are generally prohibited from accepting
  gifts of any kind

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GIFTS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES

• What is a gift?
• Almost anything of monetary value.
• MEALS
• EVENT TICKETS
• PARTIES, RECEPTIONS ?
• MERCHANDISE
• TRANSPORTATION
• CASH
• LODGING
• APPAREL

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GIFTS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES

• What things are NOT gifts?
• Modest refreshments (not offered as a meal)
• Presentation items (mugs, plaques, pens)
• Items for which YOU paid market value with
  personal funds
• Prizes in public contests
• Frequent Flyer Miles (but some free tickets may
  or may not be accepted...)
  (exclusions)

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GIFTS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES

• EXCEPTIONS to the gifts from outside sources
  rule
• Personal relationship (almost always)
• 20 or less value/50 per source per year (the
  20 exception)
• Perishable items, if shared with office (fruit
  baskets, flowers, etc.)
• Registration fee, if speaking or presenting at an
  event Certain awards and honorary degrees
• Travel/entertainment for employment talks (beware
  conflicts!)

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GIFTS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES

• THREE LITTLE WORDS
• THAT NEVER GOT ANYONE
• IN TROUBLE
• No, thank you.

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GIFTS BETWEEN EMPLOYEES

• EXCEPTIONS
• In connection with special infrequent occasions
  such as
• Marriage
• Birth or adoption
• Serious illness
• Termination of superior/subordinate relationship
• There is no 10 limit, but
• Gift should be appropriate to the occasion
• Contributions to office party/group gift okay,
  but
• must be voluntary
• may only suggest, not require, an amount

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GIFTS BETWEEN EMPLOYEES

• Also keep in mind that gifts YOU give to
  subordinates
• May be permissible but inappropriate
• Can look like sexual harassment
• Can look like favoritism which can
• Can cause morale problems
• Is the gift too big too small too personal
  in nature?

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FUNDRAISING

• What is fundraising?
• Soliciting for funds or donations, selling food
  or other items, and promoting events for
  charitable causes.

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CONFLICTING FINANCIAL INTERESTS

• 18 U.S.C. 208
• Standards of Ethical Conduct
• 5 C.F.R. Criminal statute
• Part 2635.401
• You may not act in your official capacity on
  anything in which you have a personal financial
  interest.

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OPTIONS FOR RESOLUTION OF A CONFLICT

• Disqualification or Recusal
• Simple non-participation
• Notify supervisor
• Should seek written advice
• Waiver
• Must obtain from ethics official
• In a school setting check with your school
  principal, or the dean or an administrator

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OBLIGATION TO REPORT

• Federal regulations require all government
  employees -- to disclose waste, fraud, abuse, and
  corruption to appropriate authorities. 5 CFR
  2635.101(b)(11)
• To report a suspected violation, please contact
  the your immediate supervisor. If no action is
  taken you must report to his supervisor.

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CONCLUSION

• Compliance with the ethics laws is your
  personal and professional responsibility, but we
  are here to help!
• Dont let fear get in the way. Federal whistle
  blowing laws are in place to protect you from
  retribution.
• Remember YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH YOUR DECISIONS OWN
  YOUR ACTIONS

THANKS TO U.S. CUSTOMS DEPT. OF THE TREASURY