Except as is permitted by regulations of the State Ethics Commission, it is a breach of ethical standards for a public official, public member, or public employee who is participating directly in procurement, as defined in Section 11-35-310(22), to resign and accept employment with a person contracting with the governmental body if the contract falls or would fall under the public official's, public member's, or public employee's official responsibilities.

ETHICS COMMISSION OPINIONS

1. In General

Former employee is prohibited from obtaining employment for one year from contractor on contracts for which he was responsible for letting or supervising. Prohibition concerns any employee who was employed by public agency within South Carolina on or after January 1, 1992, and includes prohibition against serving as lobbyist before former agency or representing clients before that agency for a period of one year on matters on which employee directly and substantially participated. However, former employee would not be prohibited from being employed as consultant with firm over which he had no official responsibility. Op S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-101, Feb 26, 1992.