Ethics Training for Special Government Employees

Welcome to CDC’s Ethics Training for Special Government Employees (SGEs) appointed to serve on Federal advisory committees. On this page we have provided links to documents that explain the laws and regulations that govern your participation as a Department of Health and Human Services Special Government Employee.

To ensure that every citizen has complete confidence in the integrity of the Federal Government and its advisory committees, each Special Government Employee shall respect and adhere to the principles of ethical conduct. Each special government employee appointed to serve on a CDC Federal advisory committee assumes a responsibility to the United States and its citizens to place loyalty to the Constitution, laws, and ethical principles above private gain. The training materials designated for this year’s annual training will provide you with clear standards and guidelines to assist you in meeting your responsibility as an SGE.

Please review the items listed below.  Once you have reviewed this material, you will have completed your Annual Ethics Training, as required by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.

1. Ethics Training for Special Government Employees
2. Ethics Rules for Advisory Committee Members and Other Individuals Appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs)
3. Overview of the Ethics Rules for Special Government Employees Serving on Advisory Committees
4. “To Serve with Honor,” a 16-page booklet for advisory committee members prepared by OGE in 2008
5. Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees, listed in Executive Order 12731 (October 17, 1990), and 5 C.F.R. § 2635.101
6. Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, Codified in 5 C.F.R. Part 2635, as amended at 81 FR 48688 (July 26, 2016)
7. Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct and Supplemental Financial Disclosure Requirements for Employees of the Department of Health and Human Services, Codified in 5 C.F.R. Parts 5501 and 5502, as amended at 61 FR 39763, July 30, 1996; 70 FR 5543, February 3, 2005; 70 FR 37009, June 28, 2005; 70 FR 51559, August 31, 2005; and 70 FR 61713, October 26, 2005
8. The Federal Conflict of Interest Statutes
9. The names, titles, office addresses, and telephone numbers of the HHS Designated Agency Ethics Official and other agency ethics officials available to advise employees on ethics issues
10. The Ethical Choice: Ethics for Special Government Employees (Video)

If you have ethics questions or concerns that relate to your specific situation or the committee on which you serve, please contact the Designated Federal Officer for your committee, or you may contact CDC, MASO’s Ethics and Financial Disclosure Team, at sgeethics@cdc.gov.   If you have a need to contact the ethics officials within HHS, we have provided the link here: http://www.hhs.gov/ogc/contact/contacts.html