The prohibitions set forth in § 2635.302(a) and (b) do not apply to a gift given or accepted under the circumstances described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section. A contribution or the solicitation of a contribution that would otherwise violate the prohibitions set forth in § 2635.302(a) and (b) may only be made in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(a) General exceptions. On an occasional basis, including any occasion on which gifts are traditionally given or exchanged, the following may be given to an official superior or accepted from a subordinate or an employee receiving less pay:

(1) Items, other than cash, with an aggregate market value of $10 or less per occasion;

(2) Items such as food and refreshments to be shared in the office among several employees;

(3) Personal hospitality provided at a residence which is of a type and value customarily provided by the employee to personal friends;

(4) Items given in connection with the receipt of personal hospitality if of a type and value customarily given on such occasions; and

(5) Unless obtained in violation of § 630.912 of this title, leave transferred under subpart I of part 630 of this title to an employee who is not an immediate supervisor.

Example 1 to paragraph (a): Upon returning to work following a vacation at the beach, a claims examiner with the Department of Veterans Affairs may give their supervisor, and the supervisor may accept, a bag of saltwater taffy purchased on the boardwalk for $8.

Example 2 to paragraph (a): An employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation whose bank examination responsibilities require frequent travel may not bring their supervisor, and the supervisor may not accept, souvenir coffee mugs from each of the cities the employee visits in the course of performing examination duties, even though each of the mugs costs less than $5. Gifts given on this basis are not occasional.

Example 3 to paragraph (a): The Secretary of Labor has invited the agency's General Counsel to a home dinner party. The General Counsel may bring a $15 bottle of wine to the dinner party and the Secretary may accept this customary gift from the subordinate, even though its cost is in excess of $10.

Example 4 to paragraph (a): For the holidays, an assistant may give their supervisor, and the supervisor may accept, a small succulent plant purchased for $10 or less. The assistant may also invite the supervisor to a New Year's Eve party in their home and the supervisor may attend.

(b) Special, infrequent occasions. A gift appropriate to the occasion may be given to an official superior or accepted from a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay:

(1) In recognition of infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance such as marriage, illness, bereavement, or the birth or adoption of a child; or

(2) Upon occasions that terminate a subordinate-official superior relationship, such as retirement, resignation, or transfer.

Example 1 to paragraph (b): The administrative assistant to the personnel director of the Tennessee Valley Authority may send a $30 floral arrangement to the personnel director who is in the hospital recovering from surgery. The personnel director may accept the gift.

Example 2 to paragraph (b): A chemist employed by the Food and Drug Administration has been invited to the wedding of the lab director who is an official superior. The chemist may give the lab director and the lab director's spouse, and the couple may accept, a place setting in the couple's selected china pattern purchased for $70.

Example 3 to paragraph (b): Upon the occasion of the supervisor's retirement from Federal service, an employee of the Fish and Wildlife Service may give the supervisor a book of wildlife photographs purchased for $19. The retiring supervisor may accept the book.

Example 4 to paragraph (b): An economist at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau overhears their supervisor talking about their upcoming 50th birthday. Although a 50th birthday may be conventionally seen as a unique “milestone” worthy of additional celebration, the employee may not give their supervisor a $25 bottle of wine as a present because a birthday is not an infrequently occurring occasion.

(c) Voluntary contributions. (1) An employee may solicit voluntary contributions of nominal amounts from fellow employees for an appropriate gift to an official superior and an employee may make a voluntary contribution of a nominal amount to an appropriate gift to an official superior:

(i) On a special, infrequent occasion as described in paragraph (b) of this section; or

(ii) On an occasional basis, for items such as food and refreshments to be shared in the office among several employees.

(2) An employee may accept such gifts to which a subordinate or an employee receiving less pay has voluntarily contributed pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

Example 1 to paragraph (c): To mark the occasion of retirement, members of the immediate staff of the Under Secretary of the Army would like to throw a party and provide the Under Secretary with a gift certificate. They may distribute an announcement of the party and list a nominal amount for a retirement gift as a suggested voluntary contribution for the party.

Example 2 to paragraph (c): An employee of the National Endowment for the Arts may not collect contributions for a Christmas gift for the Chairman. Christmas occurs annually and is not an occasion of personal significance.

Example 3 to paragraph (c): Subordinates may not take up a collection for a gift to an official superior on the occasion of the superior's swearing in or promotion to a higher-grade position within the supervisory chain of that organization. These are not events that mark the termination of the subordinate-official superior relationship, nor are they events of personal significance within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. However, subordinates may take up a collection and employees may contribute a nominal amount to buy refreshments to be consumed by everyone in the immediate office to mark either such occasion.

Example 4 to paragraph (c): Subordinates may each contribute a nominal amount to a fund to give a gift to an official superior upon the occasion of that superior's transfer or promotion to a position outside the organization.

Example 5 to paragraph (c): An Assistant Secretary at the Department of the Interior is getting married. The Assistant Secretary's assistant has decided that a microwave oven would be a nice gift from the staff and has informed each of the Assistant Secretary's subordinates that they should contribute $5 for the gift. The assistant's method of collection is improper. Although it is permissible to recommend a $5 contribution, the recommendation must be coupled with a statement that the employee whose contribution is solicited is free to contribute less or nothing at all.