When official time is granted to an employee for service in a private sector organization, especially service as an officer, the primary beneficiary of the employee's service must be the Department and not the individual employee or the outside organization.

Employees may serve in outside organizations under one of three different circumstances:

1. The employee is participating in the outside organization in his or her private capacity and not on government time. The outside organization has no relationship with the Department of the Interior or its programs.
2. The supervisor may allow official time for the employee to attend outside functions, such as meetings or conventions, when it is in the best interest of the government.
3. The supervisor requires that the employee participate in the outside organization in his or her official capacity, as a representative of the Department of the Interior.

1. Have a written Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the employee's Bureau and the organization in which the employee desires to serve as an officer.
2. Have a 18 U.S.C. 208(b)(1) waiver signed by the Director of the Bureau or his/her designee (a high ranking official with appointing authority, e.g., the Deputy Ethics Counselor).
3. Obtain prior approval from their Bureau Ethics or Deputy Ethics Counselor.
4. Obtain ethics counseling from their Bureau Deputy Ethics Counselor prior to accepting the position.