Question 1

Ethics in Public Service

Accepted Answer

A set of principles that guide public officials in their service to their community, focused on fairness, honesty, and integrity.

Question 2

Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA)

Accepted Answer

The compilation of all laws in the U.S. state of Georgia.

Question 3

Whistleblower Protections

Accepted Answer

Legal protections for employees who report illegal or unethical activities within their organization.

Question 4

Conflicts of Interest

Accepted Answer

A situation in which a person has a private or personal interest sufficient to appear to influence the objective exercise of his or her official duties.

Question 5

Financial Disclosure

Accepted Answer

The requirement for public officials to publicly disclose their financial interests to avoid potential conflicts.

Question 6

Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission

Accepted Answer

The state agency tasked with enforcing Georgia's ethics laws regarding campaign finance and financial disclosure.

Question 7

Nepotism

Accepted Answer

The practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.

Question 8

Lobbying

Accepted Answer

The act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in a government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.

Question 9

Gift Limitations

Accepted Answer

Rules regarding the value of gifts that can be accepted by public officials, in order to prevent undue influence or bribery.

Question 10

Open Records Act

Accepted Answer

A law that provides public access to information possessed by government agencies, with certain exemptions.

Question 11

Open Meetings Act

Accepted Answer

A law that guarantees that public meetings of government agencies are conducted openly, with access granted to the public.

Question 12

Dual Office Holding

Accepted Answer

The prohibition against a public official holding more than one public office at a time.

Question 13

Due Process in Ethics Investigations

Accepted Answer

The rights of individuals under investigation for ethical violations, including the right to be heard and the right to a fair process.

Question 14

Recusal

Accepted Answer

The act of abstaining from participation in an official action because of a conflict of interest.

Question 15

Revolving Door Laws

Accepted Answer

Laws designed to prevent public officials from leveraging their government experience into private sector jobs immediately after leaving public service.

Question 16

Misuse of Public Funds

Accepted Answer

The illegal or unethical use of government funds by public officials for personal or non-sanctioned purposes.

Question 17

Transparency

Accepted Answer

The principle that the public has a right to access the proceedings and processes of government officials.

Question 18

Ethical Culture

Accepted Answer

The shared values, practices, and behaviors within an organization that define the ethical standards to which the organization adheres.

Question 19

Ethics Commission

Accepted Answer

A body that oversees the ethical conduct of public officials, typically through enforcement of ethics laws and policies.

Question 20

Ethics Enforcement

Accepted Answer

The application of laws, rules, and regulations to prevent, detect, and punish unethical behavior by public officials.

Question 21

Public Trust

Accepted Answer

The responsibility of public officials to act in the best interests of the public they serve.

Question 22

Personal Gain Prohibition

Accepted Answer

The rule that public officials may not use their position for personal financial gain.

Question 23

Appearance of Impropriety

Accepted Answer

A situation that to an outside observer may appear to be unethical or improper, even if it isn't actually so.

Question 24

Post-Employment Restrictions

Accepted Answer

Limits on a former government official’s activities after they leave government service, intended to prevent potential conflicts of interest.

Question 25

Bribery

Accepted Answer

Offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting something of value for the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the discharge of his or her public duties.

Question 26

Bid Rigging

Accepted Answer

A fraudulent practice in which a commercial contract is promised to one party even though for the sake of appearance several other parties also present a bid.

Question 27

Fiduciary Duty

Accepted Answer

A legal obligation of one party to act in the best interest of another. The obligated party is typically a fiduciary, that is, someone entrusted with the care of money or property.

Question 28

Hatch Act

Accepted Answer

A federal law that prohibits employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the president, vice-president, and certain designated high-level officials, from engaging in some forms of political activity.

Question 29

Abuse of Power

Accepted Answer

The misuse of authority for harmful, unethical, or illegal ends.

Question 30

Patronage

Accepted Answer

The power to control appointments to office or the right to privileges.

Question 31

Sunshine Laws

Accepted Answer

Laws that make meetings, records, votes, deliberations, and other official actions available for public scrutiny.

Question 32

Code of Conduct

Accepted Answer

An agreement outlining the social norms and rules and responsibilities for an individual, party or organization.

Question 33

Insider Trading

Accepted Answer

The illegal practice of trading on the stock exchange to one's own advantage through having access to confidential information.

Question 34

Kickbacks

Accepted Answer

A form of negotiated bribery in which a commission is paid to the bribe-taker in exchange for services rendered.

Question 35

Fraudulent Expenses

Accepted Answer

Claims for reimbursement of fictitious or inflated expenses that were not incurred.

Question 36

Embezzlement

Accepted Answer

The act of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion (theft) of such assets, by one or more individuals to whom the assets were entrusted.

Question 37

Quid Pro Quo

Accepted Answer

A favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something.

Question 38

Ethics Training

Accepted Answer

A program or course aimed at teaching public officials about their ethical responsibilities and the laws and regulations that govern their conduct.

Question 39

Malfeasance

Accepted Answer

The commission of an act that is unequivocally illegal or completely wrongful.

Question 40

Nonfeasance

Accepted Answer

Failure to perform an act that is required by law.

Question 41

Misfeasance

Accepted Answer

A transgression, especially the wrongful exercise of lawful authority.

Question 42

Public Servant

Accepted Answer

A government official or employee.

Question 43

Ethical Dilemma

Accepted Answer

A moral situation in which a choice has to be made between two equally undesirable alternatives.

Question 44

Retaliation Protections

Accepted Answer

Measures to protect whistleblowers or other individuals who report misconduct from being punished by their superiors or other people in their organization.

Advanced Georgia Ethics Assessment