Your supervisor is transferring to a new job and members of your Directorate want to get him a going away gift as a group. Your supervisor owns a sailboat and has already stated that he plans on being on the water fishing more than working so they decide to give him a GPS Fish Finder Radar valued at $500.00 as his gift. There are 50 people donating at $10.00 each so the cost will be covered. Is there any issue with this gift?
Yes, because the gift does not commemorate the supervisor's position or tour of duty and because the value of a special occasion gift is limited to $300.00.
Why this answer
Yes, there is a problem. A transfer ends the superior-subordinate relationship, so a group gift is allowed, but a group that includes subordinates is capped at $300. The fish finder is $500. Keeping each donation to $10 does not fix it: the cap is on the value of the gift, not on what each person chips in.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE OFFICIAL SOURCE
“Employees may not: 1) solicit a donation or a contribution from other personnel for a gift to a superior; 2) make a donation for a gift to a superior official, or 3) accept a gift from subordinate personnel, except under these circumstances: ... (c) or on occasions that terminate the superior-subordinate relationship (e.g., retirement, permanent change of station or assignment); however, there is a $300 limit for a gift from any group that includes a subordinate.”
— AFI 1-1, Air Force Standards (18 August 2023), para 2.3.4.2 ↗