Description
Code of Ethics for Government Service Poster
Promote integrity, accountability, and ethical conduct in public service with the Code of Ethics for Government Service Poster. This workplace poster displays the 10 principles of ethical government service adopted by Congress and provides government employees and public officials with a visible reminder of the standards traditionally associated with public service.
The Code of Ethics for Government Service was adopted by Congress in 1958 through House Concurrent Resolution 175. It expresses broad principles concerning loyalty to country, compliance with the law, efficient public service, conflicts of interest, confidential information, corruption, and the fundamental principle that public office is a public trust.
What Is the Code of Ethics for Government Service?
The Code of Ethics for Government Service is a set of ethical principles originally adopted by the 85th Congress in 1958 through House Concurrent Resolution 175.
The Code states that its principles should be followed by government employees, including officeholders, and provides broad standards intended to promote integrity and responsible public service.
How Many Principles Are in the Code of Ethics for Government Service?
The Code of Ethics for Government Service contains 10 principles.
These principles address important ethical responsibilities involving:
- Loyalty to country and high moral principles
- Upholding the Constitution and laws
- Providing an honest day's work for public compensation
- Seeking efficient and economical ways to perform government work
- Avoiding unfair favoritism and improper benefits
- Avoiding private promises that conflict with public duties
- Avoiding improper business relationships with the government
- Protecting confidential government information from private misuse
- Exposing corruption
- Recognizing that public office is a public trust
Who Is the Code of Ethics Intended For?
The original congressional resolution states that the Code should be adhered to by all Government employees, including officeholders.
The principles can provide a useful ethics reference for employees and officials working in:
- Federal government offices
- Public agencies
- Government administrative offices
- Public-sector workplaces
- Government training and orientation areas
- Other public-service environments
Public Office Is a Public Trust
One of the central principles of the Code of Ethics for Government Service is that public office is a public trust.
This principle emphasizes that government authority should be exercised for the public interest rather than for improper personal benefit. Government employees and officials are expected to perform their responsibilities with integrity, accountability, and respect for the laws and institutions they serve.
Government Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
The Code addresses several principles involving potential conflicts between public duties and private interests.
Government employees are encouraged to avoid unfairly providing special favors or privileges, accepting benefits that could reasonably appear to influence official duties, entering into inappropriate business relationships with the government, or using confidential government information for private financial gain.
Government Employees and Confidential Information
Government employees can obtain information through their official duties that is not available to the general public. The Code emphasizes that confidential information obtained through government service should not be used as a means of making private profit.
Government employees should also follow all current laws, regulations, agency ethics rules, privacy requirements, information-security requirements, and other restrictions applicable to government information.
Reporting and Exposing Corruption
The Code of Ethics for Government Service includes the principle that individuals in government service should expose corruption when it is discovered.
Government employees should follow appropriate reporting procedures and applicable whistleblower, Inspector General, Office of Special Counsel, agency ethics, law-enforcement, or other authorized reporting channels when reporting suspected government wrongdoing.
Does the Code Replace Current Federal Ethics Rules?
No. The Code of Ethics for Government Service is a historic statement of broad ethical principles and should not be treated as a substitute for current federal ethics statutes, regulations, agency standards of conduct, conflict-of-interest rules, or other requirements applicable to government employees.
Government employees should follow the current ethics rules and standards applicable to their particular agency, office, position, and duties.
Is the Code of Ethics for Government Service Poster Federally Required?
No, there is no current general federal requirement requiring this Code of Ethics poster to be displayed in every federal building.
A federal law enacted in 1980 previously required federal agencies to display copies of the Code of Ethics for Government Service in appropriate areas of federal buildings. That statutory posting requirement was later repealed in 1996.
This Code of Ethics for Government Service Poster should therefore be positioned as a government ethics, training, and employee-awareness resource rather than as a universally required federal workplace posting.
Where Can a Code of Ethics Poster Be Displayed?
The Code of Ethics for Government Service Poster can provide a useful ethics reminder in locations such as:
- Government offices
- Employee break rooms
- Public agency offices
- Government training facilities
- Employee orientation areas
- Conference rooms
- Ethics and compliance offices
- Employee bulletin boards
- Other public-service workplaces
Code of Ethics for Government Service Poster Specifications
- 8.5"W x 11"H
- Portrait orientation
- Printed in full color
- Laminated with high-quality laminate
- Displays the 10 principles of the Code of Ethics for Government Service
Federal Workplace Rights and Compliance Resources
Labor Law Compliance Center provides government agencies, employers, and organizations with federal and state labor law posters, federal workplace notices, ethics and whistleblower materials, specialty postings, and compliance resources throughout the United States. Browse our Federal Specialty Posters for additional federal workplace rights and compliance notices.
