I.    Introduction    
  
II.   Conflicts of Interest

III.  Impartiality

IV.  Gifts from Contractors

V.   Seeking Employment

VI.  After You Leave

VII. Joining the Government

VIII. Where to Get Help

 

 

Exception: "the 20/50 Rule"

There are several exceptions to the general prohibition on accepting gifts from contractors or contractor employees.

One common exception allows you to accept non-cash gifts from a prohibited source if the gifts from that person or company have a value of no more than $20 per occasion and no more than a total of $50 per calendar year. 

A contractor and an employee of a contractor are considered the same source under the gift rules.  So, for example, you can accept two $20 meals from contractor employees who work for the same contractor, but you can't accept more than a total of $50 worth of meals a year from all employees of the same contractor.

Be careful; you may not use any of the gift exceptions, including this exception, to accept gifts from the same or even different sources so frequently that a reasonable person would believe you're using your public office for private gain.

For example, accepting free lunches from different contractors every week would present the appearance that you were using your public office for private gain.