Impartiality

The standards of conduct (5 CFR 2635 subpart E) require employees to disqualify themselves, unless they receive a waiver, from participating in any "particular NRC matter involving specific parties" that the employee knows is likely to have a direct and predictable effect on the financial interests of a member of the employee's household if a reasonable person would question the employee's impartiality. This ban also includes anyone with whom the employee has a "covered relationship" if that person is or represents a party. (A covered relationship includes: anyone with whom the employee has a business, contractual, or other financial relationship; a relative with whom the employee has a close personal relationship; and anyone the employee has served during the past year as officer, director, trustee, general partner, agent attorney, consultant, contractor, or employee.)

Example: An employee's involvement in an NRC inspection where the employee's brother is an officer of the licensee would raise a question of impartiality. The question would also be raised if the employee worked for the licensee within a year prior to the proposed inspection.