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 | Science Education as an Official Duty Activity |
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Scientists Volunteer for Education opportunities have been approved as Official Duty Activities. Official Duty Activities are those activities performed by an employee as part of, or an extension of, regular official responsibilities.
Policies that Govern Your Participation
1) Advance Supervisory Approval Required – You must request your supervisor’s approval to participate in these activities. Supervisors have discretion to approve appropriate activities as official duties. The IC determines whether permission will be given verbally or in writing (email is acceptable in most cases).
2) Compensation – You may not accept additional compensation from an outside organization for performing your official duties. This does not include travel or per diem expenses which may be allowable with prior approval through the HHS-348 sponsored travel process. In some circumstances, acceptance of monetary awards is permissible (see also Acceptance of Awards and Honorary Degrees).
3) Official Time – If you have already received your supervisor’s approval for these Official Duty Activities, you are not required to take annual leave or leave without pay for participating.
4) Conflict of Interest – You must carefully consider the parties involved in the activity, and determine whether a conflict (real or apparent) would arise from your involvement. A conflict may arise with respect to an official duty matter if you have two competing interests in that matter – the interest associated with your NIH duties and your own personal interest. This policy requires you to personally engage in the conflicts review process with respect to your official duty activities.
Helpful Links
IC Deputy Ethics Counselors
IC Ethics Coordinators
NIH Official Duty Activities Web Site |
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