Acceptance and Provision of Gifts Policy

1. Policy statement

The Department of Education (the Department) requires all employees to observe the highest standards of integrity, ethics and probity in relation to the acceptance and provision of gifts during the course of their employment with the Department.

2. Policy rules

Employees must:

not accept or provide any gift in contravention of the Acceptance and Provision of Gifts Procedures;
declare and register a reportable gift when received or offered;
obtain prior approval for reportable gifts retained for personal use; and
obtain prior approval for the provision of gifts.

Guidance

This policy does not apply to:

money or property or benefit awarded/donated to the Department/schools;
donations made to charitable organisations from fundraising activities undertaken by schools;
promotional gifts for guests for an official event;
scholarships, grants and awards given to employees and non-employees by the Department/schools;
scholarships, grants and awards given to employees by external sources;
awards and prizes given to students;
meals and entertainment provided by the Department/schools under the Expenditure on Hospitality Policy;
Act of Grace payments; and
minor tips given where it is a custom.

3. Responsibility for Implementation and Compliance

Senior Executive Officers, Directors of Education, Principals, and Cost Centre Managers are responsible for the implementation of the policy.

The Director Financial Services is responsible for compliance monitoring.

4. Scope

This policy applies to all Department employees.

5. Supporting Procedures

Acceptance and Provision of Gifts Procedures

6. Definitions

Reportable gift

A gift received by an employee with a value greater than $100.

Where an employee has responsibility for statutory regulation any gift, irrespective of its monetary value, is a reportable gift.

7. Related documents

Relevant legislation or authority

Criminal Code 1913 (WA)

Public Sector Commission Code of Ethics

Public Sector Commission Commissioner’s Instruction 8

Public Sector Commission Conduct Guide

State Supply Commission Disposal of Goods

Related Department policies

Corruption Prevention and Detection

Expenditure on Hospitality

Staff Conduct and Discipline

Records Management

8. Contact information

Policy manager:

Director Financial Services

All enquiries to be directed to:

FinancialPolicy.Advice@education.wa.edu.au

9. History of changes

Effective date	Last update date	Policy version no.
15 March 2013		1.0
Policy first published
15 March 2013		1.1
v1.0 split into policy and procedures documents. New procedures and information added as per the findings highlighted in the Auditor General’s Report 14 – November 2012. Endorsed by Corporate Executive 15 February 2013.
15 March 2013	30 January 2014	1.2
Updated contact details. D14/0041911
15 March 2013	20 November 2015	1.3
Updated links and contact information. D15/0540031
15 March 2013	13 September 2017	1.4
Update Reportable Gifts definition. D17/0392871
15 March 2013	2 October 2018	1.5
Minor changes to update position titles and related policies D18/0432678
15 March 2013	11 March 2021	1.6
Minor changes to replace the Regional Executive Director position title with Director of Education D20/0647278

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