• If you’re offered free attendance at a non-postal or non-federal government conference, it’s considered a gift from an outside source. You could still attend, however, if the Postal Service invokes its gift acceptance authority.
• Under this rule, you can attend the event if you’re going in your official capacity and your Vice President says it’s “necessary or convenient in the transaction of postal business.” Your VP must email a statement to the Ethics Office detailing the reasons. The Ethics Office will make the final decision.

By attending a conference free of charge that will enhance your postal work and was approved by a VP, your actions don’t violate the ethics rules. The Postal Service benefits from the knowledge you gain at the conference.

And that’s smart business.

Contact the Ethics Office (ethics.help@usps.gov) for guidance on attending a conference for free.