Employment of Relatives (Anti-Nepotism)

500.275 EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES (Anti-Nepotism) POLICY

A. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to prevent a conflict of interest in reporting relationships and employment decisions affecting family members, household members, intimate partners, or state-registered domestic partners, hereafter called family/household members.

B. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this policy, family/household members include spouse, sibling, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, niece, nephew, in-law, domestic partner and, person in a co-habitation relationship, as well as their family members as listed under this section. Family/household member shall also include step-parents, step-children, step-siblings, step-grandparents and step-grandchildren. This policy also applies to intimate partners defined as a person whom the employee is having a current romantic and/or sexual relationship.

C. POLICY

Family/household members may be appointed to positions when it has been determined that they are the most qualified candidates, and when the chief human resources officer or designee has determined that the working relationship will not create a conflict of interest or the appearance of favoritism. However, a person may not be hired into a position that would result in a relationship where an employee is involved in the recruitment, screening, appointment, termination of appointment, promotion, demotion, approval of salary increase or decrease, supervision or evaluation of the employee’s family/household member (as defined above). Otherwise, family relationships shall not be used as a basis for granting or denying employment rights, privileges or benefits.

No college employee who shares or appears to share a close relationship by kinship, adoption, marriage, or who is a member of the same household may be appointed to positions where one might exert any influence or produce any consequence upon the employment of the other. In general, individuals so related may not be employed in the same program, department or division of the college.

The college shall not employ or contract with a family/household member of the president except under extraordinary circumstances deemed necessary and with explicit prior approval by the chair of the board of trustees.

D. REQUEST FOR EXCEPTION

The appointment of more than one family/household member in the same program, department or division of the college requires special justification by the appropriate administrator in terms of personnel requirements and the unique qualifications of the individual. Such appointments must have prior review by the chief human resources officer or designee.

E. CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Should a situation develop whereby a Wenatchee Valley College employee is in a working relationship with a family/household member where he/she is involved in the recruitment, screening, appointment, termination of appointment, promotion, demotion, approval of salary increase or decrease, supervision, or evaluation of the employee’s family/household member, that situation must be remedied immediately. The employee will be advised of the available alternatives, which may include voluntary transfer (if feasible) to other departments on campus, or efforts to assign job duties to minimize problems of supervision, safety, security or morale. Such employee shall be given the opportunity to select among the alternatives. If there is no alternative available, or the employee is unable to agree upon any such alternative, then the college shall take appropriate action to remedy the situation. Such action may include an involuntary transfer or termination of employment.

Originally adopted by the board of trustees: 9/12/01
Revised and approved by the president’s cabinet: 9/27/11
Adopted by the board of trustees: 1/17/07, 11/16/11
Last reviewed: 5/13/23
Policy contact: Human Resources

Related policies and procedures
None identified at this time