Anonymous wrote:I am a federal supervisor and one of my employees mailed me some expensive perishable food last year from Harry and David as a holiday gift. I had to notify ethics, tell the employee I declined the gift, and drive it to our office building to give it away to our cleaning staff. I know she meant well but it was really a pain.

Good move. The employee may have been trying to trap you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal supervisor and one of my employees mailed me some expensive perishable food last year from Harry and David as a holiday gift. I had to notify ethics, tell the employee I declined the gift, and drive it to our office building to give it away to our cleaning staff. I know she meant well but it was really a pain.

Assh0le

Are you really suggesting that the supervisor did something wrong by complying with their ethics obligations? They did exactly what they were supposed to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal supervisor and one of my employees mailed me some expensive perishable food last year from Harry and David as a holiday gift. I had to notify ethics, tell the employee I declined the gift, and drive it to our office building to give it away to our cleaning staff. I know she meant well but it was really a pain.

Assh0le

Who? The supervisor or the employee?

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal supervisor and one of my employees mailed me some expensive perishable food last year from Harry and David as a holiday gift. I had to notify ethics, tell the employee I declined the gift, and drive it to our office building to give it away to our cleaning staff. I know she meant well but it was really a pain.

Assh0le

I am a federal supervisor and one of my employees mailed me some expensive perishable food last year from Harry and David as a holiday gift. I had to notify ethics, tell the employee I declined the gift, and drive it to our office building to give it away to our cleaning staff. I know she meant well but it was really a pain.

Anonymous wrote:Here are the rules.

You cannot give a gift to a supervisor or someone that makes more money than you that is over $10.

A supervisor can give a gift to someone they supervise. Mostly this doesn't happen and isn't recommended because it can cause other issues. But, I have seen a small gift card to somewhere like Starbucks. (Cannot be a cash card. Can only be for a specific store.). Or a mini bottle of wine/champagne (check the rules on bringing alcohol into the building). Or best - just bring in donuts, cookies, etc. for all to share.

The $20 rule (it is NOT $25) - $20 is the limit that an employee can accept from an outside source (as in a contractor or someone who is not another employee). However, you may not even accept this if there it would look bad. For example, you are writing requirements for a contract and the contractor might want to bid.

How in the world am I supposed to know this?

My supervisor gave gift cards, lotto tickets and our TL added homemade sugar cookies.

Never give a gift to your federal supervisor.

Here are the rules.

You cannot give a gift to a supervisor or someone that makes more money than you that is over $10.

A supervisor can give a gift to someone they supervise. Mostly this doesn't happen and isn't recommended because it can cause other issues. But, I have seen a small gift card to somewhere like Starbucks. (Cannot be a cash card. Can only be for a specific store.). Or a mini bottle of wine/champagne (check the rules on bringing alcohol into the building). Or best - just bring in donuts, cookies, etc. for all to share.

The $20 rule (it is NOT $25) - $20 is the limit that an employee can accept from an outside source (as in a contractor or someone who is not another employee). However, you may not even accept this if there it would look bad. For example, you are writing requirements for a contract and the contractor might want to bid.

So wait, what are restrictions for gifts from supervisors to subordinates?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't gift up

Please reread the thread. No gifting up being asked.

OK, but your title and OP were super confusing. They're not "your supervisors" if they work for you.

In descending order of desirability:
Time off.
Cash bonus.
Nothing: it's fine.
Personalized note of appreciation.
Candy.
Potted plant.
Gift card to a common store, but never a restaurant or spa.
Nothing, for real.

My GS-15 boss gave his team members a bottle of champagne at the holidays. It wasn't expensive but it was festive. I actually made sorbet out of it. Not sure if alcohol is o.k. these days?

I would say go for some interesting, beautifully packaged candy. Trader Joe's used to have interesting giftables, though the season is past. One I remember was a "tasting flight" of caramels. More of an experiential gift than a "yum, yum" kind of gift.

If you do a spread, Starbucks sells a multi-portion to-go container for coffee. Even their regular coffee is pretty good in my opinion, and there might be a shop near your office.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you really going to search for a non-cash gift less than $10? Are you that desperate to kiss up to your superiors?

.
I mean it's $20

No, it's not. That's for gifts from prohibited sources like contractors. Gifting to superior is $10 or less. It's all so complicated that it's just best to avoid it all.

Anonymous wrote:Bake some cookies for them.

Starbucks poster, I would actually prefer that opposed to a gift card.

Honorable mention for homemade peppermint bark.
Anything, homemade actually.
I had a boss in private sector who loved to bake and she'd make us little gift bags of cookies, truffles, and brittle.
She was wonderful and we were a team of 12 so you know it took her some time to do all of that.