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ORS 244 Ethics Guide

What Oregon government ethics law covers and what it does not cover for represented workers.

Last updated:

Status: Draft for internal review

Purpose: Member-facing guide, not legal advice

Verification note: Numeric limits and contacts can change; confirm on official links before acting.

What ORS 244 Is

ORS Chapter 244 is Oregon's government ethics law. It covers conflicts of interest, use of public office, gifts, nepotism rules, and related disclosure obligations for many public officials and some public employees.

What ORS 244 Is Not

ORS 244 is generally not the law for wage theft, overtime, contract grievances, or most discipline disputes. Those usually run through your CBA, BOLI, ERB, or other labor-law channels.

Key Limits at a Glance

  • Gift limit: generally $50 per calendar year per source with legislative/administrative interest (ORS 244.025).
  • Conflict categories: actual and potential conflicts are defined in ORS 244.020.
  • Nepotism: restrictions on hiring/promotion decisions involving relatives (ORS 244.177 and ORS 244.179).

Conflict of Interest: Actual vs Potential

Actual conflict means your action would result in a private financial benefit or detriment to you, a relative, or associated business. Potential conflict means it could result in that type of benefit/detriment. In either case, disclosure and recusal requirements may apply.

What Counts as a Gift

Under ORS 244, a gift is generally something of economic value given without equal compensation. The law has exclusions and exceptions. Common examples include certain items from relatives, some informational materials, and limited-value unsolicited tokens.

Practical limit: if the giver has legislative or administrative interest, track cumulative value across the year and avoid exceeding the statutory limit.

What Is Nepotism Under ORS 244

  • A public official generally cannot use their role to appoint, employ, promote, or advocate employment action for a relative when prohibited by statute.
  • A public official generally cannot directly supervise a relative in the same public body unless an exception applies.
  • Even where a public body can still hire someone, the conflicted official may need to be removed from related discussions and decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I am not sure whether a conflict is actual or potential, what should I do? +

Disclose early and request guidance from your ethics office or OGEC before taking action.

Can I accept a small gift card or meal? +

Maybe, depending on source, total value, and statutory exclusions. Treat anything of value as potentially reportable and check limits first.

Is this the right law for a discipline or wage issue? +

Usually no. Contact your steward first for labor-rights issues, then route ethics questions in parallel if needed.

Official ORS 244 / OGEC Links

Related Guides

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