Ethics Training for USGS Employees

New employee initial ethics training will be offered on the following upcoming dates:

New employee Initial Ethics Training (IET) will first be offered on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 2P.M. Eastern Standard Time using the WebEx application. Then it will be offered again on the third Tuesday of each month after January 19, 2021.

More information on annual ethics training:

USGS employees must complete annual ethics training.  The due date for the 2020 annual ethics training has passed and is available in DOI Talent until December 31, 2020.  If you received ethics training from a USGS ethics counselor in 2020 (either in-person or at a New Employee Initial Ethics Training webinar), you will not be required to take the 2020 annual ethics training webinar.

The annual ethics training is a compilation of material from various sources, including:

• the Ethics Guide for DOI Employees (2017 Interim Update); 
• the Financial Guide for USGS Employees;
• the 14 General Principles of Ethical Conduct;
• the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch and the Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for DOI Employees in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.);
• Criminal Ethics Statutes in Title 18 of the United States Code (U.S.C.);
• Guidance from the Office of Government Ethics; and
• Guidance from the Office of Special Counsel. 

Annual training objectives:

• Provide employees with an overview of the ethics regulations, statutes, rules, and policies at the USGS, but it is not intended to answer all ethics questions that may arise. 
• Provide employees with information on how to access ethics resources.
• Explain how employees can contact the Ethics Office.

Contractors and volunteers (including Scientist Emeriti) are not required to take annual ethics training.

Ethics training courses offered by the Department of Interior Ethics Office or another bureau, while informative, do not meet the mandatory USGS annual ethics training requirement.

Training modules from prior years:  These ethics training modules from prior years are available for historical and re-training purposes.  Completing any of these modules does not suffice for the current calendar year annual ethics training.

• USGS Annual Ethics Training (2018)

​​Questions regarding the 2020 USGS annual ethics training should be sent to ethicsofficeUSGS@sol.doi.gov 

Specialized in-person or remote training:

If your Science Center or office would like to receive tailored ethics training either in person or remotely, please contact ethicsofficeUSGS@sol.doi.gov