Government Ethics and the Hatch Act: Federal Rules

This course contains the use of artificial intelligence. Federal employees are held to a uniquely high standard of conduct. The 14 Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch — codified at 5 CFR Part 2635 — govern everything from accepting a cup of coffee to owning stock in a regulated company.

This course walks you through every major rule in the federal ethics framework, using concrete examples drawn directly from the kinds of situations federal employees actually face. You will begin with the foundations: the legal sources of federal ethics obligations, the role of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), Designated Agency Ethics Officials (DAEOs), and the criminal conflict-of-interest statutes at 18 U. S.

C. 201-209. From there the course moves through the gift rules and their exceptions, impartiality requirements, misuse of position rules, financial disclosure obligations, and restrictions on outside activities and employment.

The post-employment revolving-door rules that apply after federal service are covered in full. The final section is dedicated entirely to the Hatch Act — the law that governs political activity by federal employees. You will learn exactly what is permitted and what is prohibited, how the rules differ by employee category, and what the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) enforces.

By the end of this course you will have a thorough, practical command of the federal ethics framework.