Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/12/20/2010-31874/supplemental-standards-of-ethical-conduct-for-employees-of-the-federal-labor-relations-authority
Timestamp: 2017-09-20 06:01:00
Document Index: 118109627

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2635', 'art 5901', 'art 2635', 'art 2635', 'art 2635', 'art 5901', '§\u20095901', '§\u20095901', 'art 2635', '§\u20095901']

Federal Register :: Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Federal Labor Relations Authority
A Rule by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on 12/20/2010
This interim rule is effective January 19, 2011. Written comments must be received on or before February 18, 2011.
79261-79264 (4 pages)
Section 5901.101 General
Section 5901.102 Prior Approval for Outside Employment
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2010-31874 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2010-31874
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 79261
Mail or deliver comments to the Office of the Solicitor, Federal Labor Relations Authority, 1400 K Street, NW., Room 300, Washington, DC 20424. Comments may also be e-mailed to solmail@flra.gov.
On August 7, 1992, OGE published the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (Standards), which became effective on February 3, 1993. The Standards, as corrected and amended, are codified at 5 CFR part 2635. The Standards set uniform ethical conduct standards applicable to all executive branch personnel.
Section 2635.105 of the Standards authorizes agencies, with the concurrence of OGE, to publish agency-specific supplemental regulations that are necessary to properly implement their respective ethics programs. The FLRA, with OGE's concurrence, has determined that the following interim supplemental rule is necessary for successful implementation of its ethics program.
Section 5901.101 explains that the regulations in part 5901 apply to employees of the FLRA and supplement the OGE Standards. The section also includes cross-references to other issuances applicable to FLRA employees, including the regulations concerning executive branch financial disclosure, financial interests, and employee responsibilities and conduct, as well as implementing FLRA guidance and procedures issued in accordance with the OGE Standards.
In accordance with 5 CFR 2635.803, the FLRA has determined it is necessary for the purpose of administering its ethics program to require its employees to obtain approval before engaging in permissible outside employment or activities. This approval requirement will help to ensure that potential ethical problems are resolved before employees begin outside employment or activities that could involve a violation of applicable statutes and standards of conduct.
Section 5901.102(a) provides that an FLRA employee, other than a special Government employee (i.e., employees expected to work no more than 130 days in any consecutive 365-day period), must obtain advance written approval from the DAEO or the Alternate DAEO before engaging in any outside employment, except to the extent that the FLRA DAEO or the Alternate DAEO has issued an instruction or manual, pursuant to section 5901.102(e), exempting an activity or class of activities from this requirement.
Section 5901.102(b) defines outside employment to cover any form of non-Federal employment or business relationship involving the provision of personal services. It includes writing when done under an arrangement with another person or entity for production or publication of the written product. It does not, however, include participation in the activities of nonprofit charitable, religious, professional, social, fraternal, educational, recreational, public service, or civic organizations, unless such activities are for compensation other than reimbursement of expenses, or the organization's activities are devoted substantially to matters relating to the employee's official duties as defined in 5 CFR 2635.807(a)(2)(i)(B) through (E) and the employee will serve as officer or director of the organization, or the activities will involve the provision of consultative or professional services. Consultative services means the provision of personal services by an employee, including the rendering of advice or consultation, which requires advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a course of specialized instruction and study in an institution of higher education, hospital, or similar facility. Professional services means the provision of personal services by an employee, including the rendering of advice or consultation, which involves application of the skills of a profession as defined in 5 CFR 2636.305(b)(1), or involves a fiduciary relationship as defined in 5 CFR 2636.305(b)(2).
Section 5901.102(c) sets out the procedures for requesting prior approval to engage in outside employment initially, or within seven calendar days of a significant change in the nature or scope of the outside employment or the employee's official position within the FLRA. It also sets out the standard to be applied by the DAEO or the Alternate DAEO in acting on requests for prior approval of outside employment as broadly defined by Sec. 5901.102(b). Approval shall be granted only upon a determination that the outside employment is not expected to involve conduct prohibited by statute or Federal regulation, including 5 CFR part 2635.
Section 5901.102(d) prohibits FLRA employees other than special Government employees from advising or Start Printed Page 79262preparing an individual or group in any matter relating to labor relations, or from engaging in any other outside employment that conflicts with official Government duties or responsibilities.
However, consistent with Federal policy embodied in the exceptions to the representation bans contained in 18 U.S.C. 203 (prohibition of compensation for representational services in a matter in which the United States is involved) and 205 (prohibition of representational services, with or without compensation, in a matter in which the United States is involved), nothing in the section precludes representation or advice that is: (1) Rendered, with or without compensation, and with the prior approval of the official responsible for the employee's appointment, to specified relatives or to an estate for which an employee serves as a fiduciary; or (2) provided, without compensation, to an employee subject to disciplinary, loyalty, or other personnel administration proceedings.
Section 5901.102(e) provides that the FLRA DAEO or the Alternate DAEO may issue instructions or manual issuances governing the submission of requests for approval of outside employment, which may exempt categories of employment from the prior approval requirement of this section based on a determination that employment within those categories would generally be approved and is not likely to involve conduct prohibited by statute or Federal regulation, including 5 CFR part 2635. The instructions or issuances may include examples of outside employment that are permissible or impermissible consistent with this part and 5 CFR part 2635.
Section 5901.103(a) requires an FLRA employee who disqualifies himself or herself from participation in a particular matter because of a financial interest to provide written notice of disqualification to his or her supervisor and the DAEO notwithstanding the guidance in 5 CFR 2635.402(c)(1) and (2). Under that guidance, disqualification can be accomplished without prior written notice.
Section 5901.103(b) requires an FLRA employee who disqualifies himself or herself from participation in a particular matter to ensure impartiality to provide written notice of disqualification to his or her supervisor and the DAEO notwithstanding the guidance in 5 CFR 2635.502(e)(1) and (2). Under that guidance, disqualification can be accomplished without prior written notice.
Section 5901.103(c) requires an FLRA employee who disqualifies himself or herself from participation in a particular matter affecting prospective employers to provide written notice of disqualification to his or her supervisor and the DAEO notwithstanding the guidance in 5 CFR 2635.604(b) and (c).
Section 5901.103(d) permits an FLRA employee to withdraw, in writing, notice under paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) of this section upon deciding that disqualification from participation in a particular matter is no longer required.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), the FLRA finds good cause exists for waiving the general notice of proposed rulemaking and opportunity for public comment as to this proposed rule. Notice and comment before the effective date are being waived because this rule concerns matters of agency organization, practice and procedure. However, written comments, which must be received by February 18, 2011 can be submitted regarding this interim rule; any such comments will be considered before this rule is adopted as final.
Because this rule relates to FLRA personnel, it is exempt from the provisions of Executive Orders Nos. 12866 and 12988.
Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 605(b), the FLRA has determined that this regulation, as amended, will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Accordingly, for the reasons set forth in the preamble, the FLRA, with the concurrence of the OGE, is amending title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations by adding a new chapter XLIX consisting of part 5901, to read as follows:
5901.102
5901.103
§ 5901.101
§ 5901.102
(a) General requirement. Any FLRA employee, excluding all special Government employees (i.e., employees expected to work no more than 130 days in any 365-day period), shall obtain prior written approval from the DAEO or the Alternate DAEO before engaging in any outside employment, except to the extent that the DAEO or the Alternate DAEO has issued an instruction or manual pursuant to Start Printed Page 79263paragraph (e) of this section. Nonetheless, special Government employees remain subject to other statutory and regulatory provisions governing their outside activities, including 18 U.S.C. 203(c) and 205(c), as well as applicable provisions of 5 CFR part 2635.
(c) Procedure for requesting approval.
(1) Requests for approval of outside employment shall be sent to either the DAEO or the Alternate DAEO through the employee's normal supervisory channels and shall include the following information:
(d) Prohibited outside employment.
(1) Employees shall not engage in:
§ 5901.103
(b) Disqualification to ensure impartiality. An FLRA employee who is required, in accordance with 5 CFR 2635.502(e), to disqualify himself or herself from participation in a particular matter involving specific parties to which he has been assigned shall, notwithstanding the guidance in 5 CFR 2635.502(e)(1) and (2), provide written Start Printed Page 79264notice of disqualification to his or her supervisor and the DAEO upon determining that he will not participate in the matter.
Approved on this date: December 13, 2010.
[FR Doc. 2010-31874 Filed 12-17-10; 8:45 am]