Anti-Nepotism Policy Example

Objective

[Company Name] is committed to a policy of employment and advancement based on qualifications and merit and does not discriminate in favor of or in opposition to the employment of relatives.

Scope

Due to potential for perceived or actual conflicts, such as favoritism or personal conflicts from outside the work environment, which can be carried into the daily working relationship, [Company Name] will hire relatives of persons currently employed only if: a) candidates for employment will not be working directly for or supervising a relative, and b) candidates for employment will not occupy a position in the same line of authority in which employees can initiate or participate in decisions involving a direct benefit to the relative. Such decisions include hiring, retention, transfer, promotion, wages and leave requests.

This policy applies to all current employees and candidates for employment.

Definitions 

"Family member" is defined as one of the following: spouse or significant other, parent/step parent, child/step child, grandparent, grandchild, brother/brother-in-law, sister/sister-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, in-laws (father, mother, son daughter).

Procedure

Prior to the employment offer, the immediate supervisor must complete a signed statement certifying that the candidate for employment or other employment action is not a relative as defined above. Failure to submit the signed statement to the vice president of human resources (HR) will result in the delay of the job offer until the statement is submitted.

The hiring supervisor is responsible for ensuring policy compliance. Department directors are responsible for monitoring changes in employee reporting relations after initial hire to ensure compliance with this policy. Employees are responsible for immediately reporting any changes to their supervisor.

If any employee, after employment or change in employment, enters into one of the above relationships, one of the affected individuals must seek a transfer or a change in the reporting relationship. Such changes must be approved by the vice president of HR. If a decision cannot be made by the affected employees within 14 days of reporting, reassignment will be made on direction of the department director and the vice president of HR.

No exception to this policy will be made without the written consent of the vice president of HR.