HRAR-3.10 - Nepotism

Rule

No employee or official responsible for personnel decisions shall show favoritism in such decisions toward an applicant or employee because the applicant or employee is a member of the employee or official’s family. It shall be a violation of this rule for an employee or official to do any of the following:

1. hold a position which requires or which enables the employee or official to directly supervise a family member; or
2. evaluate the work performance of a family member; or
3. evaluate the application for employment of a family member; or
4. adjust an employment relations grievance or complaint of a family member; or
5. take any action with respect to an individual, which because of family membership, would violate a federal or state law or rule, or would violate conditions of eligibility for financial assistance from federal or state government.

In the event a violation of this rule results from the marriage of employees, the bureau involved shall take corrective action as soon as practicable through transfers, reorganization or other personnel actions.

Definitions

"Family member” shall mean the employee’s wife, husband, domestic partner, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, stepparent or stepchild or equivalent relatives of an employee with a domestic partner.

“Direct supervision” includes the following tasks in addition to those listed above: Appoint, hire, promote, recommend or assign work out of class, discharge, discipline or demote a family member. Direct supervision also includes making effective recommendations or otherwise participating in any interview, discussion or debate regarding the above listed tasks.

Procedure

Administration of this rule is the responsibility of the Employee Relations Team.