Election Day is Quickly Approaching: A Hatch Act Reminder

With Election Day quickly approaching, we thought now would be a great time to remind everyone about the available training and resources concerning the Hatch Act.

First of all, the DEO 2024 Hatch Act Training online module is available in DOI Talent as an optional training session open to all Department of the Interior (DOI) employees. This training session addresses some of the most common Hatch Act questions and identified resources available to employees if they need further guidance on the Hatch Act. The training also now includes new guidance from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) about limitations on displaying political items while on duty or in the Federal workplace after Election Day. The training will no longer be available after Election Day, November 5, 2024, so don’t wait!!

Additionally, available on the DOI’s Ethics Website are a series of videos created by our OSC colleagues covering the Hatch Act’s official authority prohibition, on duty prohibition, and solicitation prohibition. Also available on the DOI’s Ethics Website is a newly-released animated video developed by our ethics colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in partnership with OSC covering the Hatch Act rules for Federal employees running for elected office. Lastly, the DOI's Ethics Website contains information listing the "DOs and DON'Ts" relating to political activity and the Hatch Act as well as links to the OSC's website for additional guidance.

If you have any questions concerning the Hatch Act or any other ethics topic, please reach out to an ethics official. Contact information for the DOI’s Departmental Ethics Office and bureau/office ethics officials is available here.