Public Financial Disclosures: Frequently Asked Questions

To assist the public in accessing and understanding these reports, we have adapted OGE’s Frequently Asked Questions for the Department of the Interior’s ethics program.

Q. What is the deadline for annual public financial disclosure reports?
May 15 is the deadline for employees required to file annual public financial disclosure to file their reports with the Department’s ethics officials, unless an extension has been granted. 

Q.  How will the disruptions resulting from the novel COVID-19 pandemic affect filing of 2020 annual public financial disclosures?
OGE has not changed the May 15 deadline for public financial disclosure reports as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The COVID-19 pandemic will not change who is required to file public financial disclosures, nor will it change the information that is required to be reported on public financial disclosures.  
OGE has issued guidance to the Department’s ethics officials reminding them of their ability to grant extensions of up to a total of 90 days where conditions warrant. By regulation, ethics officials may, for good cause shown, grant a public financial disclosure filer an extension of up to 45 days. Additionally, the Department’s ethics officials may grant an additional extension of up to 45 days.

Q.  Who files annual public financial disclosure reports and where do they file their reports?
There are approximately 26,000 public financial disclosure filers across the executive branch who are comprised of:

• the President and the Vice President;
• officers and employees in positions that have a rate of basic pay equal to or greater than 120% of the minimum rate of basic pay for GS-15 of the General Schedule;
• administrative law judges;
• employees in positions which are excepted from the competitive service because of their confidential or policy-making character;
• the Postmaster General, the Deputy Postmaster General;
• the Director of the Office of Government Ethics and each agency Designated Agency Ethics Official; and
• civilian employees in the Executive Office of the President (other than special Government employees) who hold commissions of appointment from the President.

The public financial disclosure reports for employees of the Departmental of the Interior are filed with the Department’s ethics officials.

Q.  When can I get annual public financial disclosure reports?
Unless an extension is granted, public filers must file their annual reports by May 15 and the Department will make the reports available within 30 days after receipt. The deadline for filing annual reports may be extended by an appropriate ethics official for up to 90 days (to August 15).
  
Public financial disclosure reports that are also reviewed by OGE must be forwarded by the Department’s ethics officials to OGE promptly once the agencies certify the reports. Those reports are available from OGE 30 days after receipt or after OGE closes the reports (i.e., certifying or declining to certify).

Q. Why are some reports readily available on OGE’s website while I have to file a request form for other reports?
The Ethics in Government Act, as amended, specifies which public financial disclosure reports are publicly posted and which must be released subject to a request process. Reports submitted by the President and Vice President and reports submitted by filers at Executive Pay Levels I and II are publicly posted on OGE’s website. Requesters must complete and submit an OGE Form 201 to OGE or to the Department of the Interior, respectively, for the other reports filed with OGE or the remaining public financial disclosure reports filed by executive branch officials with the Department of the Interior, but not reviewed by OGE.

Q. How can I learn about financial transactions made by senior government officials since December 31, 2019?
Filers of public financial disclosure reports are also required to file Periodic Transaction Reports (PTRs) when they make certain kinds of financial transactions such as buying or selling stock.

Unless an extension is granted, PTRs are required to be filed with the employing agency no later than 45 days after the transaction occurs.  If requested using the OGE Form 201, agencies are required to make these reports available 30 days after they are filed with the agency whether the PTR has been certified or not.  To request a PTR filed by the Department of the Interior’s employees, but not required to be reviewed by OGE, you must complete an OGE Form 201 and submit it to the Department of the Interior’s ethics officials.

For officials who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, PTRs are forwarded to OGE after agency certification for second-level review and certification. Those reports are available from OGE 30 days after receipt or after OGE closes the reports (i.e., certifying or declining to certify).