10/19/90
OPR: Admin/Office of Personnel
1. Purpose. This chapter establishes policies, responsibilities and procedures governing the conduct of, and attendance at, extracurricular activities involving USGS employees during the workday at USGS facilities. Procedures for excusing USGS employees' absences for reasons other than to attend extracurricular activities, as defined in Paragraph 2, are found in SM 370.630.11. Policies governing USGS employees' engagement in outside work interests or activities are found in SM 370.735.5.
2. Definition. Extracurricular activities are those which are conducted during working hours and which are not part of the regular performance of an employee's assigned duties. Extracurricular activities can serve a valuable function as forums for instruction, information interchange, community service, and employee morale building.
3. Policy. The number of extracurricular activities, and the number of employees attending them during working hours, will be held to a level which will not hinder the conduct of USGS business.
4. Conduct of and Attendance at Extracurricular Activities. The activities listed below in 4A have standing approval to be conducted at USGS facilities. All other extracurricular activities conducted at USGS facilities must have prior approval by the officials listed in 4B. SM 500.12 provides guidance on the authorization or prohibition of activities.
A. Approved Extracurricular Activities. Extracurricular activities which have standing approval are:
- Award Convocations
- National Holiday Observances (for example, Veterans Day)
- Combined Federal Campaign Meetings
- U.S. Savings Bond Drives
- Red Cross Blood Drives
- Special and one-time Department of the Interior/USGS events endorsed by the Director.
The above activities are recognized, supported, and endorsed by the Federal Government, the Department, or the USGS. Employees' attendance and participation at these activities are encouraged; however, employees must obtain prior approval to attend from their supervisors. Supervisors are urged to grant employees permission to attend these activities during working hours provided they can be spared.
B. Other Activities. Written requests for approval to conduct extracurricular activities not listed in 4A on USGS premises during working hours will be sent to one of the following officials, as appropriate:
(1) Regional Management Officers for activities at Regional Centers. The Assistant Director for Administration for National Center activities that invite the attendance of all employees.
(2) Chiefs of Field Offices for activities in those locations outside the Washington metropolitan area or the Regional Centers.
Examples of activities requiring prior approval when conducted during working hours are lectures sponsored by employee organizations, credit union meetings, vendor demonstrations, and meetings of recognized Federal employee groups or organizations. Employees desiring attendance at activities during working hours must obtain prior approval from their supervisors. Supervisors may excuse absence for the time required to participate in the activity during working hours provided the employee can be spared.
