Office of Science Quality and Integrity
Documents
As explained in the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) 2635.402, an employee is prohibited by a criminal ethics statute, 18 U.S.C. § 208(a), from participating personally and substantially in an official capacity in any particular matter in which, to his/her knowledge, he/she or any person whose interests are imputed to him under this statute has a financial interest, if the particular matter will have a direct and predictable effect on that interest.
When applying these distinctions, if there is doubt about whether a product is new interpretive, or if the product might be considered new interpretive by others, contact a Bureau Approving Official (BAO) in the USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity (OSQI) for a determination.
USGS Ethics Office approval is required prior to engaging in outside work or activity (paid or unpaid) that is: (1) related to a USGS employee's job duties or the USGS mission; (2) performed for a prohibited source as defined in 5 C.F.R. 3501.106; or (3) performed for an outside entity (e.g., a company, State/local government, individual, or organization) whose interests are related to the USGS.
Adjunct or affiliate status with universities and research institutes is typically granted to USGS employees on the basis of their official USGS job duties and scientific research. The linkage between the adjunct/affiliate status and their USGS positions means that USGS employees have restrictions on their interactions with universities and research institutions that their colleagues do not.
Guide to Data Releases With or Without a Companion Publication—Chart
Instructions for Peer Review of U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Synthesis and Assessment Product (SAP) 4.2 Thresholds of Climate Change on Ecosystems Jan 3, 2008.
List of Employees Serving with Professional Scientific Organization in their Official Capacity (Last Updated in May 2018)
Q&A about USGS employees participatation in marches, petitions, pledges, etc.
Notification of Negotiations for Post-Government Compensation and Recusal Statement: OGE Form 278 filers are required by the STOCK Act to send this notification and recusal statement (both signed and dated, as an email attachment) to EthicsOffice@usgs.gov within 3 business days after beginning any negotiations for future employment or compensation (including speaking engagements and book deals) with a non-Federal entity. However, you are encouraged to file the notification and recusal statement before engaging in discussions with a potential non-Federal employer.
This checklist provides authors with a list of actions to verify that necessary steps after approval have been completed and documented in the Information Product Data System (IPDS).
This checklist provides authors with a list of actions that need to be taken before data are reviewed, approved, and moved forward through the Information Product Data System (IPDS) for release.
Ethics Guidelines on Providing Assistance to Employees After a Disaster.
Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research at the U.S. Geological Survey:
Scholarly Publications and Data Biannual Implementation Update, January 2016
Form 9-1510
USGS Ethics Office approval is required prior to engaging in outside work or activity (paid or unpaid) that is: (1) related to a USGS employee's job duties or the mission of the USGS; (2) performed for a prohibited source* as defined in 5 C.F.R. 2635.203(d); or (3) performed for an outside entity (e.g., a company, State/local government, individual, or organization) whose interests are related to the USGS.
Information Required by the Ethics Office from Employee to Prepare an MOU
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must have an approved authorization of assignment memorandum signed by the USGS Director before acting in your official capacity as an officer or member of a board of directors (or a similar position) with a professional scientific organization.
It has come to the attention of the Ethics Office that some USGS employees have signed leases or may be considering signing leases of the oil, gas or mineral rights on property they own.
The purpose of this memorandum is to remind all USGS employees that they, their spouses and minor children are restricted by a Department of the Interior (DOI) supplemental ethics regulation [5 C.F.R. § 3501.104(b)] from holding direct or indirect financial interests related to private mining activities in the United States. This restriction is in addition to the supplemental ethics regulation [5 C.F.R. § 3501.103] that prohibits USGS employees from holding financial interests in companies that have substantial coal, oil and gas leases on Federal lands.
The Scientist Emeritus (SE) Program has been and continues to be an important component of the Geologic Discipline (GD). This Program offers retirees an opportunity to continue their professional association with the U.S. Geological Survey and contribute their time and talents to a wide variety of projects. In the fall of 2005, the acting Associate Director for Geology established a committee to conduct a thorough review of and make recommendations for this Program. This report presents a brief history of the Program, analyzes data that the committee collected about the current Program, and makes recommendations for improvements to the Program.
The USGS Ethics Office also provides post-Government employment advice to personnel who are no longer working at USGS. Important caveat: in accordance with 5 C.F.R. 2641.105(d), a current or former employee who discloses information to an agency ethics official, to a Government attorney, or to an employee of the Office of Government Ethics does not have any attorney-client privilege with respect to such communications.
Hatch Act - A law that governs the political activity of federal civilian executive branch employees.
THE HATCH ACT
Permitted and Prohibited Activities for Federal Employees Subject to Further Restrictions*
Generally, federal employees who are considered “further restricted” are prohibited from taking an active part in partisan political management or partisan political campaigns. Specifically, these employees may not engage in “political activity” on behalf of a political party or partisan political group (collectively referred to as “partisan groups”) or candidate in a partisan election. Political activity refers to any activity directed at the success or failure of a partisan group or candidate in a partisan election.
USGS EMPLOYEES SERVING WITH PROFESSIONAL SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS
USGS General Records Disposition Schedule (GRDS), Chapter 1300-Publishing Records
The USGS has broad authority to accept gifts, including money and personal property, so long as the gifts are unsolicited and freely given. Such gifts are accepted by the USGS and not individual employees. Contributions are accepted via Contribution Report Form 9-3089. See SM Chapter 500.19, Contributions and Grants to USGS From Private Sources for further information.
USGS Peer Review Checklist for Influential Scientific Information and Highly Influential Scientific Assessments
This Volunteer for Science Handbook (500-23-H) supplements Survey Manual Chapter 500.23, Volunteer Service Acceptance. Questions regarding the content of the Handbook may be directed to the Office of Human Resources, Mail Stop 157, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192. The previous edition of this Handbook dated May 2000 is hereby superseded.
31 U.S.C. § 1353 enables USGS to accept reimbursement or in-kind donations from non-Federal sources for an employee's travel expenses (including transportation, food, lodging, incidental expenses, and registration costs) to certain events related to the employee's official duties.
Acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal sources under 31 U.S.C. § 1353 is only permitted when the employee's travel is for attendance at an event for which an employee will be in official Travel Authorization status.
The event can be a
- conference
- meeting
- seminar
- workshop,
- training course (as an participant or instructor)
- speaking engagement
- OR SIMILAR EVENT