Employees shall not hold financial interests that conflict with the conscientious performance of duty.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Cannot determine

Answer: (A)

Conflicts of interest undermine impartial decision-making in government work. If an employee holds a financial interest in someone or something their official duties could affect, that interest could bias judgments or create the appearance of bias. To prevent that, the rule states that employees shall not hold financial interests that conflict with the conscientious performance of duty. This prohibition helps ensure decisions are made on merit and in the public interest, preserving integrity and public trust. Since the policy asserts a prohibition, the statement is true. Saying it’s false would imply you may legally hold conflicting financial interests, which the rule rejects; saying “not sure” or “cannot determine” would be inappropriate because this is a defined standard.