Government employees are regularly educated and trained on their duties and responsibilities from day one of employment. While the approach and specifics may vary by agency or government level, general requirements tend to be common among all U.S. government departments, regardless of function or program mission. These duties and responsibilities are basic, critical elements of organization consistency expected from every employee.
Personal Responsibilities
Every government employee is expected to maintain the honesty, integrity and impartiality of programs. The last element in particular may be a harder challenge at the higher levels of executive government management due to the influence of politics and appointments, however, all government employees are still required to maintain a truthful operation in their particular function.
Compliance with lawful supervision and all agency-related laws, guidelines, policies and rules are also expected. Employees are not expected to perform acts that are illegal under federal or state law, but they are hired and obligated to perform legal functions as directed. Good management allows opportunity for discussion and consideration of alternatives, but at the end of the day implementation without resistance is required.
Every employee is personally responsible to identify and report actions or suspicious behavior that could or does violate a law or regulation. Employees are the eyes and ears of the government agency. Various federal and state laws require employees to make such reports and provide for agencies such as inspector general offices to receive reports outside of a suspect management system possibly covering up an issue.
Broad Restrictions
Unless otherwise authorized (such as peace officers or military), government employees generally are not allowed to carry weapons into government offices, particularly firearms.
There also is a common ethics expectation that employees avoid and do not involve themselves in fraud or abuse of government programs, criminal activity, or felony activity in one’s personal life. If discovered, many government policies authorize immediate termination or eventual removal of the employee from the organization.
Employees are expected to work cohesively with each other. Numerous policies at all agency levels prohibit harassment, sexual harassment, corruption and violations of common personnel policies.
Fiscal Responsibilities
Some government functions, due to the nature of their business in the organization, have a higher threshold of duty expected from the given employees. This is due to the importance placed on the activity.
Fiscal responsibility relies significantly on truth and adherence to protection of fiscal assets for the purpose they were provided in the agency. Fiduciary duty thus creates a higher level duty to protect funds, property, or valuable assets of a government department from unnecessary loss and to make sure when assets or funds are used they are done for the right purpose. This role includes oversight and reporting problems with budgeting, accounting, procurement and contracting.
Conclusion
Government employees are held to specified standards that are common in all government agencies, regardless of government level. This expectation for good behavior and cooperation is critical to protect the agency and the government taxpayer funds used for operations. Failure to follow such duties and responsibilities interferes with the organization function of agencies and, when discovered, is corrected or removed. All employees, regardless of management or staff, are expected to adhere to these rules.
Sources:
USDA – Office of the Chief Information Officer: Directive 4070-735-001.
5 C.F.R. PART 735-EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT, Justia.com, US Laws, 2009.
U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Regulations Issued by/affecting OGE, 2009.
“Government Employees,” USA.gov, 2009.
“State and Local Employees, USA.gov, 2009.
