Are WOC (Without Compensation) employees covered by ethics statutes?

The answer states that WOC (Without Compensation) employees are not covered by ethics statutes because they receive no salary. This understanding comes from the interpretation of federal ethics laws, which typically apply to individuals in a paid status as federal employees.

WOC employees do not have the same formal obligations and protections under ethics statutes when compared to salaried federal employees. The lack of compensation typically leads to the conclusion that they do not hold the same status or responsibilities, meaning they are not subject to the same ethical guidelines aimed at preventing conflicts of interest in federally funded activities.

The nuances of this applicability can arise in discussions about who is considered a federal employee and which statutes apply; however, the general trend supports that compensation ties strongly to the obligations imposed by federal ethics laws. Therefore, since WOC employees do not receive a salary, they are often viewed as outside the scope of these influenced statutes.