700.525—Use of government information or expertise.
(a)
Commission personnel may engage in teaching, lecturing and writing about the relocation program, provided the Information which they present is public knowledge or would be made available to the public upon request.
(b)
Employees shall inform their supervisors in advance of any teaching, writing, or lecturing activity which relates to the Commission operations. The Commissioners may at their discretion exercise the right of review and approval of materials to be presented.
(c)
Employees must obtain supervisory approval for release of information considered confidential, and release of information not previously published as public information.
(d)
Disclosure of information from records shall conform with the provisions of the Freedom of information and the Privacy Acts (5 U.S.C. 552 ). An employee may not release confidential information maintained by the Commission and available to the employee because of his position as an employee of the Commission. Violation of this prohibition may result in prosecution under the terms of the Privacy Act in addition to any disciplinary penalties levied by the employee's supervisor.
(e)
Commission personnel may not accept compensation for an article, speech, consultant service, or other activity if it involves the use of information obtained as the result of Government employment which is not available to the general public as described in paragraph (a) of this section, or results in an actual or appearance of conflict of interest.
(f)
Unless there is a definite Commission position on a matter which is the subject of an employee's writing or speech, and the individual has been authorized by the Commissioners to present that position officially, the employee shall expressly present his or her views on the matter as his or her own and not as those of the Commission.
(g)
The right of an employee to express personal opinions is respected. However, once the Commission has established policy and procedure, every employee is obligated to carry out all lawful regulations, orders, and assignments, and to support the programs of the Commission as long as they are part of recognized public policy.
(h)
In dealing with the public and with relocatees, employees should avoid issuing opinions or decisions contrary to Commission policy which can be mistaken as official Commission policy.