White Elephant Group Gift Exchanges

• One of the exceptions to the rule prohibiting gifts to superiors allows an employee to accept a non-cash gift valued at $10.00 or less from a subordinate or lesser paid employee on an occasional basis, such as birthdays or holidays.
• Likewise, a Postal Service employee may give a non-cash gift valued at $10.00 or less to a superior or higher paid employee on such occasions.
• Everyone may participate in a holiday gift exchange or similar activity as long as the gifts are worth $10.00 or less, and are not cash.

Voluntary gift exchanges can improve morale as long as they are done within the rules.

And that’s smart business.

Contact the Ethics Office (ethics.help@usps.gov) for more guidance.