HHS Updates Employee Conduct Rules to Stay Honest and Fair
Published Date: 8/22/2025
Rule
Summary
HHS is updating its rules for employee behavior to keep things clear, fair, and up-to-date. These changes affect all HHS employees, covering everything from gifts and travel to reporting rule-breakers, plus a new section fighting human trafficking. The updates remove old, confusing rules and add fresh ones, with no new costs or deadlines for employees.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
HHS updates employee conduct rules
HHS is revising and reissuing its Standards of Conduct that cover employee behavior on Government property, use of Government funds and official information, and workplace courtesy. The rule updates and removes outdated provisions and is intended to keep rules clear and fair for all HHS employees, and it states there are no new costs or deadlines for employees.
New counter‑trafficking rules added
The rule adds a new section on Counter-Trafficking in Persons requirements in response to the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-348). This new section applies to HHS employees and implements requirements from that 2022 law.
USPHS officers face political activity limits
The rule continues and clarifies restrictions on the political activity of commissioned officers of the United States Public Health Service, a category not covered by the Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993. Those commissioned officers remain subject to the Department's specified political activity limits.
Rules on gifts, foreign travel, and employment
HHS specifies rules for acceptance of gifts, travel, and employment from foreign governments and other non‑Federal entities for HHS employees. The provision restates standards employees must follow when offered gifts, travel, or outside employment from those outside parties.
Discipline and reporting obligations clarified
The rule provides notice of disciplinary actions available for violations and restates the continuing employee obligation to report violations of rules or law to the appropriate authorities. This applies to all HHS employees as part of the Standards of Conduct.
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