A public servant is a person who works for the public sector, which is comprised of local, state and federal government agencies, programs and other entities. A public servant may be an elected or appointed official, such as a town mayor, city manager, an agency head or a judge, or a public servant may be a hired employee, also called a civil servant.
No matter their occupation or the entity they work for, all public servants are expected to serve the best interests of the public as a whole and to uphold the principles of the U.S. Constitution. As the U.S. Department of the Interior puts it, “Public service is a public trust.”1
In other words, public servants, whether elected, appointed or hired, are expected to adhere to high ethical standards, leading with loyalty to the U.S. Constitution and ethical principles above personal gain. Other principles that all public servants are expected to adhere to in service to the public include:1
- Not holding financial interests that conflict with your public duty
- Not accepting or soliciting a personal gift from any person or entity that seeks any sort of interaction with your office
- Disclosing evidence or suspicions of corruption promptly
- Not giving preferential treatment to any private entity or individual during the course of executing your public duties
- Adhering strictly to laws providing equal opportunities to all Americans regardless of their protected classes, including race, sex, pregnancy status, national origin or political affiliation, etc.
Nonprofit workers are similar to public servants in that they serve the public, whether on a local, state-wide or national level. Like a government agency, a private nonprofit may have a specific purpose, such as to connect unhoused Veterans to housing services or to provide mental healthcare to children in need.
However, unlike public servants, nonprofit workers:
- Are employed by a private entity, not a government entity
- Have their work funded by donations and grants rather than taxpayer dollars
- Are not elected by the public nor appointed by an elected official
- Are subject to the code of ethics of their nonprofit organization rather than the public servant’s code of ethics
There is a long list of reasons why public service is important, and these reasons can vary greatly depending on which specific public services are being considered. In general, however, a professional might decide to pursue a career in public service for the following reasons:
- To help save lives – Such as by becoming a firefighter, emergency medical technician or police officer
- To improve quality of life – To include ensuring that communities have access to clean drinking water and quality healthcare, among other necessities
- To work toward societal change – Such as by shaping the policies that combat systemic racism (e.g., housing discrimination)
- To give the next generation better opportunities – Such as by preserving and safeguarding public lands like the National Parks for future generations or by creating public workforce programs that offer employment opportunities
In short, according to the former U.S. Comptroller General David M. Walker, public service is “a chance to make peoples’ lives better and their futures brighter… (and to) build a better future for our nation and our world.”2
