The permissible content of an employment recommendation, and whether the recommendation may be written on letterhead and franked, depends on the position being applied for, and the relationship of the Member to the applicant, among other things. Detailed guidance can be found at “Recommendations for Government Employment.”
What are the rules on Members providing employment recommendations?
Are there any rules that restrict how our office communicates with federal agencies and decision makers on behalf of our constituents?
Yes, although you have broad discretion when deciding whether to accept a casework request, the Committee, federal law, and judicially-accepted principles all limit how you engage on behalf of your constituents. You may not engage in ex parte communications, or oral or written communications made without proper notice to all parties and not on the public record. These communication can come up when engaging with someone at an agency, a judge, or an employee involved in a formal agency decision-making process.
Prohibitions on ex parte communications preserve the due process rights of all parties in administrative and judicial proceedings. By making ex parte communications, you could impair the right of those parties to a fair and impartial hearing.
Additionally, the Committee has guidance on ways offices may engage, including making a status request, urging prompt consideration, arranging interviews or appointments, expressing judgment, or calling for reconsideration of an administrative response when the Member believes the initial response was not supported by law, regulation, or legislative intent. More information about permissible casework can be found in the Manual.