Departmental Procedure for the Collection of Gifts for Disposal

1. Application

This procedure applies to persons employed within Employment and Social Development Canada, which include:

• indeterminate and term employees;
• employees on approved leave with or without pay;
• students participating in Student Employment Programs;
• casual, seasonal and part-time employees;
• individuals on assignment or secondment; and
• individuals participating in exchange programs such as Interchange Canada;

2. Context

The principles of disposing of gifts are set out in the Policy on the Planning and Management of Investments, including the Directive on the Management of Materiel.

The Directive on the Conflict of Interest and the ESDC Code of Conduct provide direction and measures to assist employees in dealing with conflict of interest situations, which may arise during and after employment in the public service. Employees are not to accept any gifts that may have a real, apparent or potential influence in their objectivity in carrying out their official duties and responsibilities or place them under obligation to the donor. Examples of gifts that are not acceptable include money or cash equivalents (e.g. gift cards or certificates), travel, overnight accommodations, expensive gifts and any gift or favour received during a bidding process.

The acceptance of gifts, hospitality or other benefits is permissible if they are infrequent and of minimal value, within the standards of courtesy or protocol, arise out of activities or events related to the official duties of the employee, and do not compromise or appear to compromise their integrity or the integrity of the department. Infrequent gifts of minimal value include, for example, pens, note pads and mugs.

Where it is impossible to decline gifts, hospitality or other benefits that do not meet the principles set out in the ESDC Code of Conduct, or where it is believed that there is sufficient benefit to the department to warrant acceptance of certain types of hospitality (e.g. gift from a foreign delegation), employees are required to seek written direction from their deputy head by completing a Conflict of Interest Disclosure.

Gifts to the Crown received by employees on behalf of the department, which are no longer appropriate for display, continue to be Government of Canada assets and their disposition must be managed accordingly.

3. Responsibilities

The Office of Values and Ethics is responsible for:

• providing advice and guidance on accepting gifts, in keeping with the guidance set out in the ESDC Code of Conduct, as well as regarding the application of this procedure;
• collaborating with National Assets & Acquired Services Policy & Oversight (NAASPO) on maintaining this procedure; and,
• collaborating with the National Capital Region Asset Management Office in:
  • Implementing this procedure and the registry of gifts for disposition (Annex 1);
  • Disposing of gifts which are no longer appropriate for display.

NAASPO will collaborate with the Office of Values and Ethics to:

• address any issues resulting from these procedures; and
• affect any changes or updates required to this procedure.

Regional CFOB offices will be responsible for:

• the collection and disposal of gifts within their respective regions; and
• provide the registry of gifts for disposition within their region to the National Capital Region Asset Management Office.

The National Capital Regional Asset Management Office will act as the national coordinator for all regions and will be responsible for:

• the implementation of these procedures within the regions;
• the collection and disposal of gifts within the National Capital Region;
• the collection and coordination of the regional registries; and,
• collaborating with the Office of Values and Ethics to maintain the registry of gifts for disposition.

4. Procedure for disposing gifts

1. Employees who have a gift(s) to dispose shall contact the Office of Values and Ethics and provide the following information:
   • a description of the gift and its assessed value;
   • the source of the gift;
   • the date the gift was received and;
   • the context in which the gift was received.
2. The Office of Values and Ethics will create a record (Annex 1 - Registry of Gifts for Disposition) of the gift for disposal, and arrange for the National Capital Region Asset Management Office to collect/receive the gift and manage its disposition.
3. The National Capital Region Asset Management Office will confirm receipt of the gift with the Office of Values and Ethics and will dispose of the gift. Approval of the disposition method will be in accordance with the Directive on the Management of Materiel.

Annex 1: Registry of Gifts for Disposition