Post-Government Employment

Post employment information is provided by the Office of the General Counsel at the Exchange.

How do I get advice on a particular post employment situation?

1. Mail

  • The Exchange
    Army and Air Force Exchange Service
    ATTN:  GC-E (Ethics – Post Employment)
    P.O. Box 650060
    Dallas, TX 75265-0060

2. Email

This information was prepared to assist Exchange associates who receive their ethics support from the Exchange General Counsel Office and who have left the Exchange employment. If you are a current Exchange associate you should refer to the General Counsel webpage on the Exchange portal. It identifies statues and regulations that restrict or otherwise affect activities of Government personnel while they are seeking employment. Because restrictions are dependent on specific facts, and because this information is a summary of the rules, Exchange associates should contact an ethics counselor by sending an email to, ethics@aafes.com. Advice from ethics counselors with respect to these matters is advisory only, and is provided in accordance with 5 C.F.R. 2635.107 and 41 U.S.C. 423 (Procurement Integrity Act). Ethics Counselors are acting on behalf of the United States, and not as your personal representative. There is no attorney-client relationship created by the consultation.

POST-GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT

If you have left the Exchange and are seeking or have found private employment, you will want to know how the federal ethics laws may affect you, both while looking for a job and after leaving the government. This discussion is intended to alert you generally to the applicable restrictions. For more complete and specific advice, you should consult an ethics official as early as possible by sending an email to ethics@aafes.com.

Permanent Restriction on Representing Particular Matters

After you leave government service, you may not represent someone else to the government regarding particular matters that you worked on while in government service. Please note that this is a lifetime ban.

Particular Matters involve deliberation, decision, or action that is focused on the interest of specific people, or an identifiable group or class of people. These may include a contract, claim, application, judicial or other proceeding, request for ruling or other determination, controversy, investigation, or charge. This term could also include legislation or policy-making that is narrowly focused on specific interest groups.

Two Year Restriction on Particular Matters Under Official Responsibility

For two years after leaving government service, you may not represent someone else to the government on particular matters that you did not work on yourself, but were pending under your responsibility during your last year of service.

One Year Restriction on Aiding or Advising

If you served as a senior employee during your last year of government service, you are restricted for one year from attempting to influence your former agency on anything, by communications or appearances, on behalf of someone other than yourself or the United States. Senior employees include people serving at Levels II-V of the Executive Schedule and military officers 0-7. This restriction on making representational contacts extends to contacting any part of your former agency (i.e. the Exchange, the Army and the Air force) or an Exchange member or employee regardless of where they may work. Former senior employees are also subject to a one-year ban on assisting a foreign government or foreign political party with an intent to influence any executive branch employee.

Additional Restrictions

Military personnel on Transition Leave may accept a civilian position in the United States government and receive pay and allowances for that position as well as their military pay and allowances. However, while on active duty military officers may not hold a "civil office" with a state or local government or run for political office. You may not use non-public information to further your own private interests or your subsequent employer.

If you need advice on a particular situation, please contact the Exchange to set up an appointment with an ethics counselor by sending an email to:  ethics@aafes.com.

Additional Information

Links: (pdf format)

References:

  • 18 USC § 207; 18 USC § 208;
  • 5 CFR § 2635.107; 5 CFR §2635 Subpart F; 5 CFR §2635 Subpart H