Commonly Asked Questions about the U. S. Steel Ethics Line

What is the U. S. Steel Ethics Line?

The U. S. Steel Ethics Line is a convenient and confidential way to report illegal or unethical conduct that may affect U. S. Steel. It is hosted by EthicsPoint, Inc., an independent company.

If I see a violation, shouldn’t I just report it to my supervisor, security or human resources and let them deal with it?

Reporting to your supervisor, security or human resources is one way to bring violations to light. However, there are several reasons why you may want to choose the Ethics Line:

• If you believe that ethics and compliance issues are not being resolved, either through the existing managerial chain or other reporting options.
• If you do not feel comfortable reporting through other channels.
• If you would like to remain anonymous when reporting a violation. (Due to European Union data protection rules, European-based reporters are encouraged to identify themselves when making a report.)

As a represented employee under the Collective Labor Agreement in Slovakia or Collective Agreement in Serbia, may I submit a report through the U. S. Steel Ethics Line?

Yes you may. In addition to discussing your matter with human resources, your supervisor or legal, the Ethics Line is also available to you as a confidential way to report suspected violations.

What if this is an emergency?

Concerns about an immediate threat of physical harm or damage to property should not be reported to the Ethics Line. If you require emergency assistance, please contact your local emergency services.

What if I’m not certain the activity is illegal or unethical?

When in doubt, it’s best to report the activity. As a guide, ask yourself:

• Does it appear to be a violation of the company’s policies or procedures?
• Does it seem to be dishonest?
• If I were doing this, would I be embarrassed to tell my family or friends?
• Could this harm the company in any way?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should speak up.

What happens if I submit a report through the U. S. Steel Ethics Line Internet site?

When you click to submit a report through the Internet, a series of prompts will guide you through the reporting process. When filing a report, you will be asked to provide the most detailed information possible about your concern, such as names of witnesses and potential victims of the alleged unethical or illegal conduct. You may choose to remain anonymous when submitting your report. (Due to European Union data protection rules, European-based reporters are encouraged to identify themselves when making a report.) If you choose to identify yourself, your identity will be provided only to those with a need to know. Everyone who receives such information is obligated to maintain confidentiality to the extent feasible. In addition, U. S. Steel policy strictly forbids any retaliation against anyone who in good faith reports an ethics or compliance violation.

Your report will be logged and forwarded to the appropriate investigator at U. S. Steel.

When submitting your report, you will be given a report key and asked to create a personal password. You will need this information to access the "Follow up on a report" feature of the Ethics Line either through the Internet or telephone to review the matter you reported. If you lose your report key or password, you will be unable to follow up on your original report and will need to create a new report if you wish to provide additional information. You should follow up on your report within five to six business days. Please check back with the Ethics Line to:

• Check the accuracy of your report.
• Provide additional information related to your report.
• Respond to any follow-up questions that may have been posted.

Continued follow-up on a matter is particularly important for anonymous reports, where the investigator has no other means to communicate with you.

What happens if I submit a report through the mail?

Reports received by mail will be assigned to the appropriate investigator at U. S. Steel. Please provide as much detailed information as possible about your concern, such as names of witnesses and potential victims of the alleged unethical or illegal conduct.

You may choose to mail an anonymous report. (Due to European Union data protection rules, European-based reporters are encouraged to identify themselves when making a report.) If you choose to identify yourself, your identity will be provided only to those with a need to know. Everyone who receives such information is obligated to maintain confidentiality to the extent feasible. In addition, U. S. Steel policy strictly forbids any retaliation against anyone who in good faith reports an ethics or compliance violation.

If you choose to send a report by mail, please be aware that you will not be able to follow up on your report either through the Internet or telephone. The mailboxes are checked on a regular basis, but not every day.

How does the follow-up feature work and when should I use it?

When you submit a report through the Ethics Line Internet site or the Ethics Line telephone number, you will receive a unique report key and will be asked to choose a password. Approximately five to six business days after you submit a report to the Ethics Line, you should check the status of your report by using the “Follow up on a report” feature of the Ethics Line either through the Internet or telephone using your report key and password.

When you review your report you will have the opportunity to add any further information that will help resolve open issues. You may also respond to any follow-up questions that may have been posted by a company investigator.

Please be aware that if you submit a report by mail, you will not be able to follow up on your report.

How does the U. S. Steel Ethics Line maintain confidentiality?

EthicsPoint, Inc., the independent operator of the Ethics Line system, does not trace phone calls or use caller identification. In addition, EthicsPoint does not generate or maintain internal connection logs containing Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, so no information linking your computer to EthicsPoint is available. Reports from your computer come through a secure Internet portal which does not trace or show user screen names. Finally, EthicsPoint removes Internet addresses to ensure that anonymity in the Ethics Line system is maintained. EthicsPoint will not use information reported to it for any purpose other than passing along reported information to U. S. Steel for appropriate handling.