Regulations last checked for updates: Jan 31, 2025

Title 5 - Administrative Personnel last revised: Jan 21, 2025
§ 950.501 - Release of contributor information.

(a) The pledge form, designed pursuant to § 950.402, must allow a contributor to indicate if the contributor will allow his or her name, contribution amount, and home contact information to be forwarded to the charitable organization or organizations designated.

(b) The pledge form shall permit a contributor to specify which information, if any, he or she wishes released to organizations receiving his or her donations.

(c) It is the responsibility of the CCA to forward the contributor information for those who have indicated that they wish this information to be released to the recipient organization directly, if the organization is independent, and to the organization's federation if the organization is a member of a federation. The contributor information must be forwarded as soon as practicable after the completion of the campaign, but in no case later than a date to be determined by OPM. The date will be part of the annual timetable issued by the Director under § 950.601(b). The federation is responsible for ensuring the information is released to the appropriate member organization. The CCA may not sell or make any other use of this information. Federations may not retain donor information for their own use unless the donor made a direct designation to the federation itself. This policy also prohibits the sharing of donor information, even free of charge.

§ 950.502 - Solicitation methods.

(a) Employee solicitations shall be conducted during duty hours using methods that permit true voluntary giving and shall reserve to the individual the option of disclosing any gift or keeping it confidential. Campaign kick-offs, victory events, awards, and other non-solicitation events to build support for the CFC are encouraged.

(b) Special CFC events are permitted during the campaign if approved by the appropriate agency head or government official, consistent with agency ethics regulations. No costs for food or entertainment at a special event may be charged to the CFC. CFC special events must be undertaken in the spirit of generating interest in the CFC and be open to all individuals without regard to whether an individual participates in the CFC. If prizes are offered, they must be modest in nature and value. Examples of appropriate prizes may include opportunities for lunch with agency officials, agency parking spaces for a specific time period, and gifts of minimal financial value. Any special CFC event and associated prize or gift must be approved in advance by the Agency's ethics official to ensure that the special event is consistent with Office of Government Ethics regulations and its own regulations and policy. No funds may be raised or collected at these events.

§ 950.503 - Sanctions and penalties.

(a)(1) The Director may impose sanctions or penalties on a federation, charitable organization or Outreach Coordinator for violating these regulations, other applicable provisions of law, or any directive or instruction from the Director. The Director will determine the appropriate sanction and/or penalty, up to and including expulsion from the CFC. In determining the appropriate sanction and/or penalty, the Director will consider previous violations, harm to Federal employee confidence in the CFC, and any other relevant factors. A federation, charitable organization or Outreach Coordinator will be notified in writing of the Director's intent to sanction and/or penalize and will have 10 business days from the date of receipt of the notice to submit a written response. The Director's final decision will be communicated in writing to the federation, charitable organization or marketing organization.

(2) The Director may withdraw federation status with respect to a National/International, International or Local federation that makes a false certification or fails to comply with any directive of the Director, or to respond in a timely fashion to a request by the Director for information or cooperation, including with respect to an investigation or in the settlement of disbursements. As stated in § 950.301(d), failure to meet minimum federation eligibility requirements shall not be deemed to be a withdrawal of federation status subject to a hearing on the record. Eligibility decisions shall follow the procedures in § 950.301(f). A federation will be notified in writing of the Director's intent to withdraw federation status for a period of up to one campaign and will have 10 business days from the date of receipt of the notice to submit a written response. On receipt of the response, or in the absence of a timely response, the Director or representative shall set a date, time, and place for a hearing. The federation shall be notified at least 10 business days in advance of the hearing. A hearing shall be conducted by a hearing officer designated by the Director unless it is waived in writing by the federation. After the hearing is held, or after the Director's receipt of the federation's written waiver of the hearing, the Director shall make a final decision on the record, taking into consideration the recommendation submitted by the hearing officer. The Director's final decision will be communicated in writing to the federation.

(3) A federation, charitable organization or Outreach Coordinator sanctioned or penalized under any provision of these regulations must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that it has taken corrective action to resolve the reason for sanction and/or penalty and has implemented reasonable and appropriate controls to ensure that the situation will not occur again prior to being allowed to participate in subsequent CFCs.

(b) At the Director's discretion, CCAs, payroll offices and Federations may be directed to suspend distribution of current and future CFC donations from Federal employees to recipient organizations. CCAs, payroll offices and Federations shall immediately place suspended contributions in an interest bearing account until directed to do otherwise.

§ 950.504 - Records retention.

Federations, CCAs and other participants in the CFC shall retain documents pertinent to the campaign for at least three completed campaigns. For example, documentation regarding the 2014 campaign must be retained through the completion of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 campaigns (i.e. until early 2020). Documents requested by OPM must be made available within 10 business days of the request.

§ 950.505 -

Each federation, federation member and independent organization applying for participation in the CFC must, as a condition of participation, complete a certification that it is in compliance with all statutes, Executive orders, and regulations restricting or prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in transactions and dealings with countries, entities or individuals subject to economic sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Should any change in circumstances pertaining to this certification occur at any time, the organization must notify OPM's Office of CFC immediately. OPM will take such steps as it deems appropriate under the circumstances, including, but not limited to, notifying OFAC and/or other enforcement authorities of such change, suspending disbursement of CFC funds not yet disbursed, retracting (to the extent practicable) CFC funds already disbursed, and suspending or expelling the organization from the CFC.

authority: E.O. 12353 (March 23, 1982), 47 FR 12785 (March 25, 1982), 3 CFR, 1982 Comp., p. 139; E.O. 12404 (February 10, 1983), 48 FR 6685 (February 15, 1983); Pub. L. 100-202, and Pub. L. 102-393 (5 U.S.C. 1101 Note)
source: 79 FR 21586, Apr. 17, 2014, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 5 CFR 950.502