[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 5, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 5CFR734.402]

[Page 45-46]
 
                    TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 
          CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)
 
PART 734_POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES--Table of Contents
 
          Subpart D_Employees in Certain Agencies and Positions
 
Sec. 734.402  Expression of an employee's individual opinion.

    Each employee covered under this subpart retains the right to 
participate

[[Page 46]]

in any of the following political activities, as long as such activity 
is not performed in concert with a political party, partisan political 
group, or a candidate for partisan political office:
    (a) Express his or her opinion as an individual privately and 
publicly on political subjects and candidates;
    (b) Display a political picture, sign, sticker, badge, or button, as 
long as these items are displayed in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec. 734.406;
    (c) Sign a political petition as an individual;
    (d) Be politically active in connection with a question which is not 
specifically identified with a political party, such as a constitutional 
amendment, referendum, approval of a municipal ordinance, or any other 
question or issue of a similar character; and
    (e) Otherwise participate fully in public affairs, except as 
prohibited by other Federal law, in a manner which does not compromise 
his or her efficiency or integrity as an employee or the neutrality, 
efficiency, or integrity of the agency or instrumentality of the United 
States Government in which he or she is employed.
    Example 1: An employee may purchase air time on a radio or 
television station to endorse a partisan political candidate. However, 
he or she may not endorse such a candidate in a commercial or program 
which is sponsored by the candidate's campaign committee, a political 
party, or a partisan political group.
    Example 2: An employee may address a political convention or rally 
but not on behalf, or at the request of, a political party, partisan 
political group, or an individual who is running for the nomination or 
as a candidate for election to partisan political office.
    Example 3: An employee may print at her own expense one thousand 
fliers which state her personal opinion that a partisan political 
candidate is the best suited for the job. She may distribute the fliers 
at a shopping mall on the weekend. However, she may not distribute 
fliers printed by the candidate's campaign committee, a political party, 
or a partisan political group.
    Example 4: An employee may place in his or her yard a sign 
supporting a candidate for partisan political office.
    Example 5: An employee may stand outside of a political party 
convention with a homemade sign which states his or her individual 
opinion that one of the candidates for nomination is the best qualified 
candidate.
    Example 6: An employee, including a career SES employee, may wear a 
button with a partisan political theme when the employee is not on duty 
or at his or her place of work.

[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35101, July 5, 1996]