Personnel Delegation #61

Pursuant to the authorities delegated to me as the Deputy Ethics Counselor (DEC), by the Designated Agency Ethics Official, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on December 17, 2013, I hereby delegate the following authorities to:

1. Director, Division of Personnel Security and Ethics.  The authority to act as the Agency Ethics Official on all Requests for Approval of Outside Activity on page 9 of the HHS-520 and Annual Reports of Outside Activity on page 6 of the HHS-521 submitted by employees and forwarded by their respective organizations.  The Director, Division of Personnel Security and Ethics (DPSE) may delegate this authority to Ethics Coordinators assigned to PIES.
2. Office Directors, Indian Health Service Headquarters.  The authority to approve the outside activities of employees in their respective offices unless the Office Director is the requesting employee's immediate supervisor.  This authority is not delegable, but may be exercised by an Acting Office Director who is not the requestor's immediate supervisor.  Prior to acting on the request as the Agency designee in Section VII on page 10 of the HHS-520, the particular Office Director shall ensure that:
   1. The requesting employee's supervisor completes and signs Section IV on page 7 of the HHS-520.
   2. The Director, DPSE or an authorized DPSE Ethics Coordinator completes and signs as an Agency Ethics Official in Section VI on page 9 of the HHS-520.

3. Area Directors.  The authority to approve the outside activities of employees in their respective Area unless the Area Director is the requesting employee's immediate supervisor.  This authority is not delegable, but may be exercised by an Acting Area Director who is not the requestor's immediate supervisor.  Prior to acting on the request as the Agency designee in Section VII on page 10 of the HHS-520, the specific Area Director shall ensure that:
   1. The requesting employee's supervisor completes and signs Section IV on page 7 of the HHS-520.
   2. The Area Ethics Contact completes and signs Section V on page 8 of the HHS-520 as the intermediate reviewer.
   3. The Director, DPSE or an authorized DPSE Ethics Coordinator, completes and signs the request as an Agency Ethics Official in Section VI, HHS-520 on page 9.

RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS

1. The DEC retains the authority on all Indian Health Service employee requests for approval to run for election or serve in an appointed or elected Tribal Council or other governing body.  The designated Area Ethics Contact will forward the requestor's HHS-520, completed through page 8, the employee's position description, and the Tribal charter to DPSE.
2. The DEC retains authority to approve requests by employees directly supervised by Directors.  Headquarters Office and Area Directors may not approve requests from employees they directly supervise.  They should complete and sign Section IV on page 7 of the HHS-520, as the employee's supervisor, and forward the HHS-520 to DPSE. An Area Director shall have their respective Area Ethics Contact complete and sign Section V on page 8 of the HHS-520 as the intermediate reviewer.
3. The above delegations of authority will be exercised in accordance with all applicable regulations, executive orders, and laws, to include those promulgated by the Office of Government Ethics and the HHS Designated Agency Ethics Official.

SUPERSEDURE

This delegation supersedes the HHS-520 and HHS-521 "Outside Activity" portion of the DOA, Personnel #20, "Indian Health Service Ethics Program," dated February 14, 2008.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This delegation is effective upon date of signature.

Attachments

http://www.hhs.gov/forms/publicuse.html HHS-520 and HHS-521