IEC Journal

Following Up on Rick Joyce Tech Privacy Presentation

The article mentioned by Rick Joyce, the April IEC speaker, "Liability for All, Privacy for None: The Conundrum of Protecting Privacy Rights in a Pervasively Electronic World," 41 Val. U. L. Rev. 1481 (Summer 2007) is not yet available at the Valapriso Law Review web site. Because the article is copyrighted, we won't reproduce it here, but note for those interested that it is available through Westlaw using the search term 41 VALULR 1481.

The Department of Justice Cybercrime.gov site has additional information available for understanding tech privacy issues, including the Electronic Search and Seizure and Prosecuting Computer Crimes manuals.

Admiral Investigated for False Statements

USA Today reports on the firing of a Navy admiral. As is often the case, the consequences of the coverup proved worse than the underlying offense:

[The Admiral's superior] "emphasized" to CNN that Stufflebeem, a former commander of the 6th Fleet, was being punished for the "false and misleading" information he gave to investigators, and not the underlying allegations about an "inappropriate relationship."

Reporting Payments from Non-Federal Sources: OGE Guidance & News Reports

OGE has issued additional guidance concerning required semiannual reports of payments for travel, subsistence and related expenses received from non-Federal sources in connection with the attendance of employees at certain meetings or similar functions (31 U.S.C. § 1353). The guidance clarifies the OGE role:

OGE is responsible for making the information provided by the agencies available to the public. It is each agency’s responsibility to file the accurate and complete reports and to make the appropriate conflict of interest analysis. (See 68 Federal Register 12602-12610 published March 17, 2003.)

Such payments to federal employees has been a hot topic in the Washington Post, which published feature stories about problems at the Consumer Products Safety Commission on  November 2, November 3 and November 6, as well as a November 3 editorial. The November 2 article attracted 338 public comments, a large number, before the Post editors closed it to additional comments.

IEC Training Modules

The IEC's Training Task Force is pleased to provide the following materials for 2007:

• Ethics--Your Key To An Improved Work Environment. This is intended for use as online training. It is distributed in MS Word format, with the intention that it be customized for each agency. The online DoD version will be available is a few weeks at their usual location.
• 14 Ethics Principles, General. MS PowerPoint slide show, with speaker notes.
• Representation Restrictions. MS PowerPoint slide show, with speaker notes.
• Outside Activities, Fundraising and Hatch Act. MS PowerPoint slide show, with speaker notes.

UPDATED July 9 to better explain the Ethics--Your Key To An Improved Work Environment training module.

Federal Employees As Volunteers

An article in the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base newsletter discusses what Air Force (and DoD) employees may and may not do when participating in a non-Federal entity as a volunteer. The article is on page 4 of 44 of this PDF document. Thanks to co-author Mark Stone for the link, via his excellent e-mail newsletter.

OPM Announces New CFC Regulations

  OPM released new Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) regulations that become effective November 20, 2006.  They may be found at:  http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-19628.pdf  (Also in November 20, Federal Register at 67276.

  Of particular note for agency ethics officials are the modifications of regulations at 5 CFR 950.602 (Solicitation methods).  The new regulation makes clear that special fundraising events, such as lotteries, may be approved by appropriate agency heads consistent with agency ethics regulations.  Prizes for such events must be disassociated from the amount of contribution, if any, and be modest in nature and value.

OPM Proposes Changes to CFC

In the June 29, 2006, Federal Register, OPM proposed changes to the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).  Please note the proposed change to section 5 CFR 950.602, methods of solicitation.  The notice is at: 

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-5795.pdf

OPM Creates Website for CFC

The Office of Personnel Management announced that it established a website for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) at www.opm.gov/cfc/.  This website includes CFC regulations and guidance, FAQ's, and other materials that should assist ethics counselors in answering questions regarding the CFC.

OPM Authorizes Workplace Solicitation for Victims of Asian Tsunami

On December 30, 2004, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) authorized agency heads to allow a special solicitation of federal employees at the workplace for victims of the Asian earthquake and tsunami.  With this authorization and the establishment of special solicitations by agency heads, federal employees may make a one-time cash or check donation outside the CFC, which otherwise is the only fundraising permitted in the federal workplace.  www.opm.gov