(a) Objective. It is the objective of RHS to maintain the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and impartiality by employees. To reduce the potential for employee conflict of interest, all processing, approval, servicing, or review activity will be conducted in accordance with 7 CFR part 1900, subpart D by RHS employees who:

(1) Are not themselves the applicant or borrower;

(2) Are not members of the family or close known relatives of the applicant or borrower;

(3) Do not have an immediate working relationship with the applicant or borrower, the employee related to the applicant or borrower, or the employee who would normally conduct the activity; or

(4) Do not have a business or close personal association with the applicant or borrower.

(b) Applicant or borrower responsibility. The applicant or borrower must disclose any known relationship or association with an RHS employee when such information is requested.

(c) RHS employee responsibility. An RHS employee must disclose any known relationship or association with a recipient, regardless of whether the relationship or association is known to others. RHS employees or members of their families may not purchase a Real Estate Owned (REO) property, security property from a borrower, or security property at a foreclosure sale. Loan closing agents who have been involved with a particular property, as well as members of their families, are also precluded from purchasing such properties.