JCOPE: Tis the Season

In a sign that the holiday season is coming, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has posted a reminder for state employees of the state’s ethics rules regarding gifts.

In short, when someone who has dealings with the employee’s agency offers a gift, the following general rules apply:

– promotional items with little or no resale can be accepted;

– invitations to holiday parties can only be accepted under limited circumstances; and

– items valued at more than $15 have to be returned (except for perishable items, which may be either returned to the sender, donated to charity, or placed in the common area of the office where it is available to all employees).