General Counsel

Resources in the Office of General Counsel Ethics Library

The Office of General Counsel has a collection of ethics program materials available to National Archives staff upon request. Our holdings include the following:

Multimedia

  • Ethics CD-ROM: a multimedia searchable collection of Federal executive branch ethics laws, Executive orders, regulations, advisory opinions, policy memoranda, Federal Register notices, and ethics program administration aids.

Videotapes

  • National Archives 1996 Annual Ethics Training Video: a 45-minute training video which features an overview of the Standards of Conduct; a brief history of Federal ethics laws; outside employment regulations; misuse of government property; and the Hatch Act. Also includes a 15-minute segment on how to fill out an OGE 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report. Features an all-star cast.

  • Ethics Inquiry: a 45 minute overview of standard of conduct issues in a broadcast-quality news magazine format. Covers gifts from outside sources, gifts between employees, conflicting financial interests and impartiality issues. This from the Office of Government Ethics (OGE).

  • The Battle for Avery Mann: a 20-minute video about a Federal employee struggling with ethical conduct issues. Covers misuse of property, gifts between employees, outside employment. 1997 OGE production.

  • Integrity in Public Service: Earning the Public's Trust, a 20-minute video which uses vignettes to outline the ethics regulations governing employee conduct.

  • The Ethical Choice: Ethics for Special Government Employees, a 20-minute video about the ethical obstacles three fictional SGEs must overcome. Covers many of the rules applicable to all executive branch employees.

  • Public Financial Disclosure: A Closer Look, a 15-minute video which explores the need for high level executive branch officials to file accurate, complete public financial disclosure reports (Standard Form 278).

Booklets

  • Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch: established by E.O. 12674, applies to all government employees. The title says it all. Each employee should have his/her own copy or access to a copy in the workplace.

  • Take the High Road: an OGE publication which summarizes ethics laws and regulations in easy to read language using a question/answer format.

  • A Brief Wrap on Ethics: another OGE publication which summarizes ethics laws and regulations. This one uses anecdotes in looking at various ethics issues.

Pamphlets

  • Gifts Between Employees: Presents answers to frequently asked gifts questions and provides useful definitions.

  • Gifts From Outside Sources: Presents parameters of permissibility for the acceptance of gifts from outside sources

  • Conflicts of Interest and Government Employment: looks at basic conflict of interest laws and regulations.

  • Gifts of Travel and Other Benefits: provides guidelines for analyzing when employees may accept gifts of travel in connection with official duties.

  • Rules for the Road: highlights key rules related to post-employment restrictions for certain Federal employees.

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