What is the $20 $50 rule for government employees?
An ethics guideline limiting what federal employees can accept from outside sources, including contractors.
The "$20 / $50 rule" is an ethics guideline that limits what federal employees can accept from outside sources, including contractors. In many agencies, they generally cannot accept gifts over a modest value from a single source at one time, nor exceed a yearly aggregate cap from the same source.
Exact thresholds and exceptions come from federal ethics rules and agency policies, but the spirit is simple: avoid anything that looks like you are buying influence. As a contractor, treat this as a guardrail—keep outreach professional, focused on mission value, not perks.
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