(a) Employees may hold the following financial interests without violating 18 U.S.C. 208(a):
(1) The stocks or bonds of a publicly traded corporation with a value of $1000 or less; and
(2) The stocks or bonds in the investment portfolio of a diversified mutual fund in which an employee has invested.
(b) The Department has found that the financial interests listed in paragraph (a) of this section are too remote and inconsequential to affect the integrity of an employee's service.