What does Receiving Unlawful Gratuities involve?

Receiving Unlawful Gratuities specifically involves accepting benefits in exchange for actions that are considered authorized conduct, where that benefit is not legally permitted. Rather than being simply a salary or compensation that a public servant is legitimately entitled to for their role, unlawful gratuities refer to additional benefits that could create conflict of interest or compromise the integrity of the public servant's duties.

For instance, when a corrections officer receives a gift or payment for performing their job in a standard manner (which is their responsibility), it raises ethical concerns about whether their actions would be influenced by that gratuity in the future. This is different from just receiving a salary (which is standard compensation for service) or soliciting benefits for proper conduct, as those activities do not involve the issue of legality or ethical compliance relating to the acceptance of additional perks.