DOINews: All DOI Employees: New Deadlines on Approval Time for Ethics Forms Related to Events and Travel

To: All Employees

From: Melinda Loftin, Designated Agency Ethics Official

Subject: New deadlines for submitting requests to attend widely attended gatherings and accept travel expenses from a non-Federal source

Employees who wish to attend a widely attended gathering (WAG) or accept travel expenses from a non-Federal source must receive prior approval from their servicing Ethics Office and their supervisor. (Points of contact for Bureau Ethics Programs can be found at https://www.doi.gov/ethics/bem.cfm) To facilitate the process of determining whether these gifts can be accepted, employees must complete either a DI 1958 form, for a widely attended gathering, or a DI 2000 form, for gifts of travel expenses from a non-Federal source. (These forms can be found at https://www.doi.gov/ethics/forms/index.cfm)

As of Thursday, March 19, 2015, employees must submit DI 1958 and DI 2000 forms to their servicing Ethics Office at least 24 hours in advance of the event or travel. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the inability to obtain Ethics Office approval.

The 24-hour advance approval process has been established to ensure that the Ethics Office has adequate time to fully vet these gifts and thus keep DOI employees in compliance with Federal ethics laws and regulations.

Your cooperation is appreciated.