Which statement about a judge and a clerk addressing Christmas cards is true?

• A. A municipal judge may require a clerk to address the judge’s Christmas cards during the clerk’s workday, which is permissible.
• B. A municipal judge may delegate this task to another clerk.
• C. A municipal judge may require such tasks only after hours.
• D. A municipal judge may never involve a clerk in Christmas card duties.

Answer: (C)

The situation tests how public employees’ time and resources may be used for tasks that are personal, not official. A judge’s staff time belongs to the public office, funded to carry out official duties. Addressing Christmas cards for the judge is a personal task, not part of the clerk’s official responsibilities. Requiring a clerk to perform that work during the clerk’s paid workday would misuse public time and resources. Allowing the task after hours recognizes that the clerk can handle personal matters on private time, without tying up government resources. Delegating this personal task during work time would still involve public time being used for a nonofficial purpose, so that isn’t appropriate. Saying it can never happen is too rigid, since after-hours personal tasks are generally acceptable. So the true statement is that such tasks may be required only after hours.