November 17. 1998
                                          DO-98-031

MEMORANDUM

TO:       Designated Agency Ethics Officials

FROM:     Stephen D. Potts
          Director

SUBJECT:  Results of the Survey of Agency Field Office
          Ethics Officials

     Recently the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) conducted a
survey of agency field office ethics officials to learn more about
their experiences, opinions, and needs regarding various facets of
their field office's ethics programs.  I am pleased to report the
results of the survey to you and to discuss OGE's continuing efforts
to provide leadership and assistance in the executive branch ethics
community.  An executive summary and the report are attached.

     We were gratified at the phenomenal response from field office
ethics officials (90 percent of the 523 offices surveyed) and to
learn that most were satisfied that they are successfully meeting the
requirements of the ethics program and are receiving adequate program
support from management at their agency.  However, although generally
satisfied, many indicated the need for additional program support and
assistance from both OGE and their agency management in order to
improve their ethics program's effectiveness. 

     Primary among the areas of assistance needed from OGE was
regional ethics training courses for ethics officials on a variety
of topics that are critical to providing ethics-related advice or
making program decisions.  OGE has been working toward meeting this
need through expanding its ethics training course offerings for
ethics officials.  For 1999, in addition to continuing to offer
introductory level modules for new ethics officials, we plan to
introduce intermediate level modules on individual topics such as
conflicting financial interests and post-employment rules.  Courses
offered at regional locations will continue at the increased levels
of 1998.  

     Also, OGE plans to continue our very successful regional
development program.  During 1997 and 1998, as part of the
development program we conducted a series of seminars with regional
ethics officials in New York City and Atlanta and offered them
selected training sessions that were originally presented at OGE's
annual ethics conference.  During 1999, we plan to continue the
program in Denver and San Francisco.      

     In addition to providing training opportunities for ethics
officials, OGE continues to develop diversified training materials
for agencies to use in meeting annual ethics training requirements
for employees.  To date, OGE has produced pamphlets, videotapes, and
computer-based modules on a variety of topics including the post-
employment rules, the 18 U.S.C. § 208 (conflicting financial
interests) waiver regulations, and gift acceptance. Currently under
development are a pamphlet on employee misuse of position, a
videotape on the principles of ethical conduct, and computer-based
training modules on gift acceptance and misuse of position rules. 
Details on current OGE training materials, regional training
opportunities, and other important program information are available
on OGE's Web site at WWW.USOGE.GOV.  We encourage you to refer your
field office ethics staff to our Web site as a method of ensuring
that key ethics information and materials are disseminated.  

     As you know, in response to ethics officials' concerns that the
annual ethics training requirement for all covered employees was
preventing the ethics officials from dedicating resources to other
desirable program goals, last year OGE implemented an interim rule
amending our training regulation (subpart G of 5 C.F.R. part 2638). 
The interim rule amendments permit the distribution of a written
ethics briefing (rather than a verbal briefing, as previously
required) to covered employees, other than public financial
disclosure report filers, for up to two out of every three calendar
years.  Our survey results indicated that about half of the field
ethics officials who responded to the survey have taken advantage or
will soon take advantage of the flexibility offered by the interim
amendments; however, many others reported that they did not know if
the change would be implemented.  Therefore, we would like to remind
you to again consider taking advantage of the flexibility offered by
the rule to help reduce the ethics program work load.   

     While OGE continues to take the steps outlined above to assist
ethics officials, we also want to encourage you to continue your
support for the program through your attention and active
participation.  High-level program visibility, the need for which was
indicated by respondents to our survey, is a necessary ingredient in
order for the program to succeed.  Also, sufficient program resources
are essential to the operation of a successful ethics program.  As
such, we plan to continue to monitor the impact of budget reductions
on agency ethics programs, especially those programs administered in
personnel offices, which appear to have been hardest hit as part of
agency reorganizations and downsizing. 

     I want to thank you for your continuing commitment to building
and maintaining a strong ethics program.  Also, I want to thank your
field office staff for their high level of participation in this
survey.  A copy of the executive summary is being sent to agency
heads and a copy of the survey report is being sent to the field
office ethics officials who participated in the survey.  If you have
any questions, please contact Jack Covaleski at 202-208-8000,
extension 1120, or Phyllis Hoffer at extension 1184.

Attachments