Tuesday’s Ethics Awareness Week Trivia Question Winner & Answer

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Thank you for participating in Tuesday’s Ethics Awareness Week question.

Congratulations to Andrew Torres for being the first person to answer Tuesday’s question correctly!

Listed below is the answer to Tuesday’s ethics question. Participate each day this week to test your ethics and compliance awareness.

Today’s question was about the BOR Gratuities Policy.

Q:  Which of the following statement(s) are true regarding the acceptance of gifts from USG vendors by USG employees?

A.​Employees may accept gift cards and similar items from vendors so long as the value does not exceed $50 and was not provided to influence the employee to perform an official action.

B.​Employees may accept gifts of any value from vendors when the gift is provided pursuant to a door prize or by way of a raffle in which all participants had an equal chance to win.

C.​Employees may accept tickets and gift cards from USO vendors if the employee is not personally involved in supervising or selecting the vendor in question.

D.​Employees may accept promotional items generally distributed to the general public.

E.​All of the above

Correct Answer D. Employees may accept promotional items generally distributed to the general public.

All of the other items listed in the other choices are prohibited from being received by USG employees from USG Vendors.

The BOR Gratuities Policy broadly prohibits employees from receiving gifts from lobbyists and vendors. The policy does exclude certain items from the definition of a gift. These items are as follows:

1. Food or beverage consumed at an occasional meal or event, provided the value is reasonable under the circumstances but in no event exceeds $100 per person.
2. Food, beverages, and registration at group events to which substantial numbers of employees of the University System Office or a USG institution are invited.
3. Food, beverage, or expenses afforded employees, relatives or others that are associated with normal and customary business or social functions or activities.
4. Actual and reasonable expenses for food, beverages, travel, lodging and registration provided to permit participation in a meeting, demonstration, or training related to official or professional duties if participation has been approved in writing by the Chancellor, the President, or his/her designee.
5. Promotional items generally distributed to the general public.
6. Textbooks, software, and instructional materials to be reviewed by teaching faculty.
7. An award, plaque, certificate, memento, or similar item given in recognition of the recipient’s civic, charitable, political, professional, private or public service or achievement.
8. Legitimate salary, honoraria, benefit, fees, commissions, or expenses associated with the recipient’s non-public business, employment, trade, or profession.
9. Gifts from a person or entity who is neither a lobbyist nor a vendor as those terms are defined in State Statutes, nor a student or patient at an institution.
10. Consulting fees, honoraria, or financial benefits from sponsors or foundations, received in conformance with USG policies, institution policies, and Georgia law.
11. Gifts to or from USG foundations or other separately incorporated, charitable entities.

The exceptions do not, however, include gift cards and cash equivalents. Also, an otherwise prohibited gift is not made permissible simply because it is received by way of a door prize or raffle. Some gifts that are door prizes or received by way of a raffle may be appropriate if they are promotional items generally distributed to the general public. Notwithstanding the above exceptions, it generally is wise to consult with your supervisor prior to accepting these items and to be mindful of the appearance of your actions. You also may wish to consult the Office of Ethics and Compliance for additional guidance.

Relevant Policy Consideration:

1. The USG Ethics Policy;

https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#n82181

2. BOR 8.2.18.4, Gratuities,https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#n82184

Other Helpful Resource:

Explanatory Notes on USG Ethics Policy, https://www.usg.edu/organizational_effectiveness/ethics_compliance/ethics_policy

If you have questions about the Gratuities Policy, you should feel free to ask your supervisor or the USG Office of Ethics and Compliance. (https://www.usg.edu/organizational_effectiveness/ethics_compliance).