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Survey conducted by the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics and Health Care Compliance Association

MINNEAPOLIS, March 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the face of reports on AIG bonuses it is surprising to learn that business is fairly restrictive of the gifts employees can give and receive and how they can entertain, according to the results of a survey the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) and Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) released today. The SCCE-HCCA jointly conducted this survey during February and March 2009.

"The data clearly shows that while the rage over Wall Street bonuses sizzle, any headlines about lavish entertainment or gift giving have to be weighed against the wider data that demonstrates remarkably restrained behavior," said Roy Snell, CEO of the two associations.

The data revealed that close to two-thirds (63%) of compliance and ethics professionals surveyed work either for organizations that ban gifts to employees or require that they be modest or under $50; entertainment limits follow close behind with 62% reporting entertainment by vendors and others is either banned, limited to $50, or required to be at a modest level.

"While the definition of 'modest' may differ from one organization to another," said Snell, "it appears that business is more watchful of these things than many would imagine. That vigilance is especially important given the current national mood."

Surprisingly, a little less than a third of respondents reported that their organization had updated its entertainment policy in the last six months. This despite changes in the economy, press reports of lavish pay, use of private jets, and the use of resorts for business meetings by companies receiving bail-out money.

Not surprisingly, 73% of employers do not permit entertaining clients or the entertainment of employees at strip clubs and
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