Ethics Training Overview
Ethics training is a yearly requirement. Ethics Training is required for every state employee including full-time, part-time, unpaid and per diem board members. Employees and faculty of the State University (SUNY) and City University (CUNY) campuses are also required to complete ethics training. The training mandate expanded to include both Financial Disclosure Statement (FDS) and non-FDS filers. Employees who are seasonal or temporary employees are also required to complete ethics training every year.
- Comprehensive Ethics Training Course (CETC) - A live ethics course that can be conducted either in-person or remotely using videoconferencing tools such as Webex, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc. The CETC must be live and not pre-recorded to allow participants the ability to answer questions in real time.
Online Ethics Refresher Course (OERC) - A self-paced online training. The On-Demand Ethics Training can be accessed directly through the Commission’s online enrollment portal and is available for the majority of the state workforce via the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS) or your agencies learning management system.
The following agencies do not allow their employees to complete an Online Ethics Refresher Course:
- All Civil Service employees
- All Department of Corrections (DOCCS) facilities
- All Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employees
- All Department of Transportation Regions (DOT)
- All Division of Housing and Community Renewal employees
- All Division of Military and Naval Affairs employees
- All Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employees
- All Office of Mental Health (OMH) facilities
- All Office of Parks and Recreation employees
- All Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (2026 calendar year only)
- All SUNY Upstate Medical University employees
2026-2027 Ethics Training Schedule
For existing employees, the 2026-2027 Ethics Training Schedule is based off the ethics training class completed in 2025.
Employee Status | 2026 Requirement | 2027 Requirement |
| New Hire Employees | Complete the Live CETC within 90 days of appointment to your state job. | Complete Online On-Demand Ethics Refresher Training on or before December 31, 2027. |
| Existing Employees who have completed an online Ethics Refresher (OER) in 2025 via SLMS or your agencies own learning management system | Complete the Live CETC on or before December 31, 2026. | Complete Online On-Demand Ethics Refresher Training on or before December 31, 2027. |
| Existing Employees who completed the Live CETC Training in 2025 | Complete Ethics Refresher Training on or before December 31, 2026. | Complete the Live CETC on or before December 31, 2027. |
2026 Policy Change for Overdue Employees
POLICY OVERVIEW EFFECTIVE MARCH 11, 2026:
Your feedback matters to us. At our March 11, 2026 COELIG Education Committee Meeting, the Commission board unanimously approved a proposal that will allow COELIG and agencies to prioritize those employees who have not received training in 2025 without straining agency and COELIG resources.
Employees who are shown as overdue in the Statewide Ethics Training Application ("SETA") will no longer be required to complete an additional training class in 2026. System enhancements were implemented in SETA on March 18, 2026 to accommodate the policy change.
Comprehensive Ethics Training Course Information
- CETC CLE Information
The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) has received agency-level accreditation from the New York State CLE Board and issues Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit during CETC sessions that are specifically designated and labeled as CLE course (CLE CETC).
Agencies may not use our CETC training materials to offer CLE credit to their staff attorneys unless they have been accredited by the New York State CLE Board.
CLE credit refers to credits attorneys must earn through approved professional development courses to maintain their licenses. Only agencies that have received accreditation from the CLE Board are authorized to issue CLE credits to their staff attorneys. Most agencies do not have this accreditation from the CLE Board.
- Agency Specific Training Information
Agency Specific Trainings, are trainings that are requested by an agency Ethics Officer, Training Unit or Human Resources department. Agency Specific Trainings provide the COELIG Training Team with the opportunity to train a large group of your agency employees remotely, utilizing WebEx or your preferred video conferencing platform.
We ask for a minimum enrollment of 100 participants. For agencies looking to train a smaller number of employees, we encourage you to direct your employees to one of our open CETC sessions that are available to any employee, from any agency within the state workforce.
To request an ‘agency specific’ training, please send an email to [email protected] with up to (3) preferred dates and times. We generally have availability on Mondays. Requested sessions are not guaranteed until a confirmation email is sent from the COELIG Training Team.
- Train-the-Trainer Resources
Agency Ethics Officers and trainers may request access to the COELIG Ethics Training SharePoint site to download our updated training materials. Due to the file sizes of the materials, we are no longer able to post these materials on our website. Request SharePoint access by emailing us at [email protected]
Online Ethics Refresher Information
- Agencies with access to the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS)
The Online Ethics Refresher Course ('OERC') is available in SLMS for most Executive Branch agencies. SLMS agencies are required to only enroll those employees who have completed a live CETC training in 2025 and the completion date is recorded in COELIG's Statewide Ethics Training Application. Email [email protected] for assistance if you're unsure which of your agency employees can be enrolled in a SLMS OERC.
SLMS Course information:
- Couse Long Name: COELIG Online Ethics Refresher Course
- Course Short Name OERC
- Class name: 2026-Ethics-OnDemandRefresher
- Information for agencies with their own LMS
Overview
The COELIG Education Team provides access to the Online Ethics Refresher Course (OERC) for agencies that do not have access to the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS) and maintain their own internal learning management system.
The OERC was created utilizing Articulate Rise and is available as SCORM 1.2 or HTML compatible formats. COELIG is unable to provide trouble-shooting assistance if the exported options are not compatible with your learning management system.
OERC User Agreement
The COELIG Training Team will review individual requests from agencies requesting access to our SCORM or HTML compatible zip files. Agencies that do not have individual employee names in the COELIG Statewide Ethics Training Application (SETA) will not be provided the online training package until COELIG is provided with a complete HR roster of your employees who are required, by law, to complete ethics training.
Agency Tracking and Reporting Obligations
The Commission's Statewide Ethics Training Application ('SETA') is the application of record for the mandated ethics training courses. Agencies requesting the zip files are require to provide their employees with a certificate of completion, verify employee eligibility, and mark employee completions in SETA.
- Group Setting MP4 Video Requests
For those agencies with mobile workers, workers without access to state-issued email addresses, or non-traditional office settings, please email [email protected] for instructions on how to certify your employees for completing the On-Demand Ethics Training video in a group setting.
Statewide Ethics Training Application (SETA)
Ethics training is tracked for every state employee in the Commission’s Statewide Ethics Training Application (SETA).
Ethics officers or their designess are required to submit monthly training statistics and enter training completion dates for the employees listed in your agency profile. This also applies to agencies who track employees’ live Comprehensive Ethics Training (CETC) via the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS).
Updating your Agency Profile
In addition to submitting your monthly training statistics, you are also required to update the following information:
- Review and update any missing or inaccurate email addresses.
- Enter training completion dates for live CETC sessions conducted at your agency. Employees who enroll and receive credit for attendance at a COELIG hosted live CETC session are automatically marked completed in SETA if the employee has a profile established in SETA.
- Enter training completion dates for the online ethics refresher – this only applies to agencies who do not utilize the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS). COELIG continues to update the ethics refresher monthly for employees with access to SLMS.
Additional information and resources on tracking ethics training is available below.
Part 939 - Extensions and Waivers
These regulations set forth a procedure and criteria for submitting and determining requests for an extension or waiver modifying the statewide ethics training requirements.
Effective 8/18/25
Guidance Materials
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State Ethics and Lobbying Laws & Regulations Handbook
This handbook contains in its entirety the State's ethics laws and regulations that apply to State officers and employees. It includes sections 73, 73-a, 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78 of the Public Officers Law, which apply to those employees who must complete the Public Officers Law Section 78 Public Officer Oath/Affirmation provided by the New York Department of State.
In addition, the handbook includes in its entirety the State's lobbying laws and regulations that apply to lobbyists, clients and others. This includes Legislative Law Article 1-A, also known as the Lobbying Act.
Also, included in the handbook are Legislative Law Article 5 section 80 (regarding the Legislative Ethics Commission),Civil Service Law Section 108 (which prohibits against certain political activities), and Legislative Law Article 5-b (which places outside income restrictions on members of the Legislature).
Finally, the handbook features Executive Law Section 94, which created the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.
For best results when printing, select double-sided and 'Fit' in the 'Page Sizing & Handling' menu item. Please note, the document is 351 pages. Links to each section of the document are included in the Table of Contents.
Revised 9/10/24
Download
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Ethics Handbook: Plain Language Guide to the State's Ethics Laws
A comprehensive overview of the Public Officers Law and other related ethics laws, presented in a plain language format. An excellent resource for seasoned state employees and new hires entering State service for the first time.
Revised 11/10/2023
Download
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Ethics Handbook: Plain Language Guide to the State's Ethics Laws
A comprehensive overview of the Public Officers Law and other related ethics laws, presented in a plain language format. An excellent resource for seasoned state employees and new hires entering State service for the first time.
Revised 11/10/2023
Download
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The Post-Employment Restrictions
Plain language guide to the restrictions that State officers and employees face once they leave State service including the two-year bar, and lifetime bars.
Revised 8/16/2022
Download
Contact The COELIG Training Team
Contact the COELIG Education Team for information regarding the mandatory ethics training requirements for State employees, and Lobbyists and Clients.
New York State
Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government
540 Broadway
Albany, New York 12207