General requirement for approval. A DHS employee, other than a Special Government Employee, shall obtain prior written approval before engaging in any outside employment or activity (as defined by § 4601.101 of this part), with or without compensation, unless the employee's agency has exempted the outside employment or activity (or category or class of outside employment or activity) from this requirement by an instruction or manual issued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.

Standard for approval. Approval shall be granted unless it has been determined that the outside employment is expected to involve conduct prohibited by statute or Federal regulation, including 5 CFR part 2635 and this part.

Agency responsibilities. (1) With the approval of the DHS DAEO, each agency as set forth in § 4601.102 of this part shall issue internal instructions or a manual governing the submission of requests for approval of outside employment and activities and designating appropriate officials to act on such requests not later than May 5, 2016.

The instructions or manual may exempt particular outside employment or activities (or categories or classes of outside employment or activities) from the prior approval requirement of this section if such outside employment or activities would generally be approved and are not likely to involve conduct prohibited by statute or Federal regulation, including 5 CFR part 2635 and this part. Agencies may include in their instructions or manual examples of outside employment or activities that are permissible or prohibited consistent with 5 CFR part 2635 and this part.

In the absence of a manual or instruction identifying a person designated to act upon a request for approval for outside employment, the Chief Deputy Ethics Official at each agency shall act upon a request.