[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 5, Volume 2]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 5CFR734.402]



[Page 48]

 

                    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 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]