§ 73.735-801 Participation in matters affecting a personal financial interest. ( a ) An employee shall not participate personally and substantially as a Government employee in a matter in which any of the following individuals or organizations has a financial interest: ( 1 ) The employee;
( 2 ) The employee's spouse;
( 3 ) The employee's minor child;
( 4 ) An organization in which the employee serves as an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee; or
( 5 ) A person or organization with which the employee is negotiating for prospective employment or has an arrangement for prospective employment. Criminal penalties may be imposed under 18 U.S.C. 208 for violations of the prohibition.
( b ) Applying the provision of 18 U.S.C. 208: ( 1 ) A “financial interest” is any interest of monetary value which may be directly and predictably affected by the official action of an employee. There is no minimum amount of value or control that constitutes a financial interest. Example 1: An employee owns a single share of stock in a widely-held corporation. If the corporation is likely to be affected by a matter in which the employee participates as a Government official, the employee may violate 18 U.S.C. 208.
Example 2: An employee has a paid part-time position with a non-federal organization. If the organization is likely to be affected by a matter in which the employee participates as a Government official, the employee would violate 18 U.S.C. 208.
( 2 ) The prohibition of 18 U.S.C. 208 applies to personal and substantial involvement by an employee in a matter, exercised through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, investigation, giving advice, or other significant effort regarding the matter. Example 1: An employee is a member of a panel that evaluates proposals for contracts and makes recommendations as to their award. If the employee's spouse owns stock in a company which submits a proposal that is reviewed by the panel, the employee would violate 18 U.S.C. 208 even though the panel recommendation may be rejected by the contracting officer.
Example 2: An employee is on a leave of absence from a university. He or she would violate 18 U.S.C. 208 by participating in the drafting of regulations which would have a “direct and predictable effect” upon universities in general and, therefore, upon the employee's university.
( 3 ) An employee must know that the financial interest exists in order to violate 18 U.S.C. 208. Example: An employee inherited a beneficial interest in a trust. He or she does not, however, have actual knowledge of the specific property held by the trustee. If the trust contains stock in a corporation which may be affected by the employee's official actions, he or she would not violate 18 U.S.C. 208 in taking official action affecting the corporation.
( 4 ) Negotiation for prospective employment includes both an indication of interest on the part of the employee in working for an organization and an affirmative action on the part of the organization to show consideration of the employee. Example 1: An employee of the Department sends resumes and cover letters to fifty prospective employers, all of whom regularly have dealings with HHS. Forty employers do not respond; however, ten respond with cordial form letters stating that the employee's resume will be retained for future reference. For purposes of the 18 U.S.C. 208 prohibition, the employee is negotiating for prospective employment at the time he or she sends resumes.
Example 2: At a site visit to a grantee institution, an employee who is officially responsible for a grant to that institution informs an officer of the institution that he or she is seeking a new position outside HHS. The grantee subsequently makes a conditional offer of employment to the employee who promptly responds by asking for an opportunity to discuss salary and related matters. Under these circumstances, a negotiation for prospective employment is underway.
( c ) An employee may obtain approval to participate in his or her official capacity in a matter in which he or she has a direct or indirect financial interest, if the interest is not so substantial as to affect the integrity of his or her official duties. An employee who believes that such participation is warranted should follow the procedures in § 73.735-804.
( d ) An employee convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. 208 may be fined up to $10,000, or imprisoned up to two years, or both.