美國聯邦公務員的政治活動規範及執行機制   全文下載

The Norms and Enforcement System of Political Activity for Federal Employees in the United States

美國聯邦公務員參與政治活動的法律規範，主要是1939年赫奇法及後續修正規定。在1993年修正後，大幅放寬聯邦公務員參與政治活動的範圍，允許公務員積極參與政治管理與競選活動。但聯邦公務員仍不得運用職權或影響力干預或影響選舉結果，有意的勸募、接受或受理政治捐獻，競選黨派性職位，及在執勤、辦公處所、穿著制服及使用政府交通工具時從事政治活動。至於執行機制，則係由特別檢察官辦公室及功績制保護委員會合作分擔。這套制度的特點包括：一、公務員依其職位屬性之不同，享有不同程度的政治參與；二、總統政治性任命人員從事政治活動所涉及的行政資源，必須在合理時間內償還國庫；三、特別檢察官辦公室及功績制保護委員會是人事行政領域的管制性機關，分別提供公務員諮詢意見，受理、調查及起訴違反赫奇法案件，及對違反法令公務員為紀律處分；四、執行方式彈性，在特別檢察官辦公室及功績制保護委員會審理階段，均可視案件性質選擇調處解決問題。

The norms of political activity for federal employees in the United States were set out in 1939 Hatch Act and the several subsequent amendments. After the amendments of 1993, Most federal employees are now free to engage in many types of political activities, including actively participating in partisan political management and campaigns. But they are severely prohibited from using official authority or influence to interfere with an election, knowingly soliciting or receiving political contributions, and running for public office in partisan elections. Additionally, employees are prohibited from engaging in political activity while on duty, in a government office, wearing an official uniform, and using a government vehicle. The U. S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) are authorized to ensure compliance by government employees with the Hatch Act. Regarding to the whole system, the author points out four features including: 1. Employees, according to the characteristics of positions they occupied, are subject to different extensive restrictions on political activities. 2. The costs associated with political activity may not be paid for by money derived from the Treasury of the United States. The expenses, except de minimis, incurred when the Presidential appointed employees engaged in political activity have to be reimbursed to the Treasury within a reasonable time. 3. OSC and MSPB are independent, quasijudicial, regulatory agencies in the field of federal personnel administration. Depending on the severity of the violation, OSC will either issue a warning letter to the employee, or prosecute a violation before MSPB to seek disciplinary action. 4. An informal and flexible way, mediation, is adopted by OSC and MSPB to resolve complaints and allegations.