PART 0—VALUES, STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT, AND RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 38 U.S.C. 501; see sections 201, 301, and 502(a) of E.O. 12674, 54 FR 15159, 3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 215 as modified by E.O. 12731, 55 FR 42547, 3 CFR, 1990 Comp., p. 306. Source: 31 FR 5828, Apr. 15, 1966, unless otherwise noted. Subpart A—Core Values, Characteristics, and Customer Experience Principles of the Department Source: 77 FR 41275, July 13, 2012, unless otherwise noted. § 0.600 General. This section describes the Core Values, Characteristics, and Customer Experience Principles that serve as internal guidelines for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These Core Values, Characteristics, and Customer Experience Principles define VA employees, articulate what VA stands for, and underscore its moral obligation to veterans, their families, and other beneficiaries. They are intended to establish one overarching set of guidelines that apply to all VA Administrations and staff offices, confirming the values already instilled in many VA employees and enforcing their commitment to provide the best experience possible to veterans, servicemembers, their families, caregivers, and survivors. [ 84 FR 22710, May 20, 2019] § 0.601 Core Values. VA's Core Values define VA employees. They describe the organization's culture and character, and serve as the foundation for the way VA employees should interact with each other, as well as with people outside the organization. They also serve as a common bond between all employees regardless of their grade, specialty area, or location. These Core Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence. Together, the first letters of the Core Values spell “I CARE,” and VA employees should adopt this motto and these Core Values in their day-to-day operations. (a) Integrity. (b) Commitment. (c) Advocacy. (d) Respect. (e) Excellence. § 0.602 Core Characteristics. While Core Values define VA employees, the Core Characteristics define what VA stands for and what VA strives to be as an organization. These are aspirational goals that VA wants its employees, veterans, and the American people to associate with the Department and with its workforce. These Core characteristics describe the traits all VA organizations should possess and demonstrate, and they identify the qualities needed to successfully accomplish today's missions and also support the ongoing transformation to a 21st Century VA. These characteristics are: (a) Trustworthy. (b) Accessible. (c) Quality. (d) Innovative. (e) Agile. (f) Integrated. § 0.603 Customer Experience principles. VA will provide the best customer experience in its delivery of care, benefits, and memorial services to veterans, servicemembers, their families, caregivers, and survivors. The delivery of exceptional customer experience is the responsibility of all VA employees and will be guided by VA's Core Values and Characteristics. Customer experience is the product of interactions between an organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship. VA measures these interactions through Ease, Effectiveness, and Emotion, all of which impact the overall trust the customer has in the organization. (a) Ease. (b) Effectiveness. (c) Emotion. [84 FR 22710, May 20, 2019] § 0.605 Ethical framework principles for access to and use of veteran data. (a) Veterans trust VA to promote and respect their privacy, confidentiality, and autonomy in the services we provide or support. We earn this trust when we adhere to VA's core values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence (commonly referred to as ICARE). (b) Consistent with the values listed in paragraph (a) of this section, VA must promote and ensure responsible practices whenever veteran data is accessed, shared, or used by VA or its partners. Veteran data is accessed, shared, and used for many purposes which are developing at an unparalleled pace. While the regulatory and policy framework that governs data access, sharing, and use sets important standards about what is required with respect to data access, sharing, and use, it does not always provide definitive guidance about how VA should manage access, sharing, or use of veteran data when regulation and policy permit organizational discretion, except in cases where there are already established federally protected classes. (c) The following principles establish an overarching ethical framework for all individuals, groups, or entities to apply when managing access to, sharing of, or use of VA veteran data. All parties who have or obtain access to and use VA veteran data are encouraged to carefully consider and apply this principle-based ethical framework when not contradicted by other specific clinical, technical, fiscal, regulatory, professional, industry, and other standards. VA and its partners must apply this principle-based ethical framework when accessing, sharing or using veteran data unless prohibited by law. Consistent application of this framework will ensure the integrity and trustworthiness that veterans and other stakeholders expect and deserve when veteran data is accessed, shared, or used. (1) Principle 1. The primary goal for use of veteran data is for the good of veterans. (2) Principle 2. Veteran data should be used in a manner that ensures equity to veterans. (3) Principle 3. The sharing of veteran data should be based on the veteran's meaningful choice. (4) Principle 4. Access to and exchange of veteran data should be transparent and consistent. (5) Principle 5. De-identified veteran data should not be reidentified without authorization. (6) Principle 6. There is an obligation of reciprocity for gains made using veteran data. (7) Principle 7. All parties are obligated to ensure data security, quality and integrity of veteran data. (8) Principle 8. Veterans should be able to access to their own information. Veterans must have user-friendly access to their own information. (9) Principle 9. Veterans have the right to request amendments to their own information. (d) As used in this section, de-identified veteran data [87 FR 40452, July 7, 2022] Subpart B—General Provisions Source: Redesignated at 77 FR 41275, July 13, 2012, unless otherwise noted. § 0.735-1 Agency ethics officials. (a) Designated Agency Ethics Official (DAEO). (b) Deputy ethics officials. (2) Other officials may also act as Deputy Ethics officials pursuant to delegations of one or more of the DAEO's duties from the DAEO. [58 FR 61813, Nov. 23, 1993. Redesignated at 61 FR 11309, Mar. 20, 1996; 89 FR 15451, Mar. 4, 2024] § 0.735-2 Government-wide standards. For government-wide standards of ethical conduct and related responsibilities for Federal employees, see 5 CFR Part 735 and Chapter XVI. [61 FR 11309, Mar. 20, 1996. Redesignated at 63 FR 33579, June 19, 1998] Subpart C—Standards of Ethical Conduct and Related Responsibilities of Employees Source: 58 FR 61814, Nov. 23, 1993, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 77 FR 41275, July 13, 2012. § 0.735-10 Cross-reference to employee ethical and other conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should refer to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the executive branch-wide Employee Responsibilities and Conduct at 5 CFR part 735, and the executive branch-wide financial disclosure regulation at 5 CFR part 2634. § 0.735-11 Other conduct on the job. Relationship with beneficiaries and claimants. (a) An employee shall not procure intoxicants or drugs for, or attempt to sell intoxicants or drugs to, patients or members, or give or attempt to give intoxicants or drugs to them unless officially prescribed for medical use; (b) An employee shall not abuse patients, members, or other beneficiaries, whether or not provoked. § 0.735-12 Standards of conduct in special areas. (a) Safety. (2) An employee shall report each work-connected injury, accident or disease he or she suffers. (b) Furnishing testimony.