Policy 7020 – Nepotism

Close Relationship – Individuals related by marriage or domestic partnership or any other relationship in which objectivity is impaired.

Conflict of Interest – A situation in which a person has a private or personal interest sufficient to influence or appear to influence the objective exercise of his or her official duties.

Family Member – A person related to the 1st or 2nd degree of a blood relationship (see Appendix A).

Favoritism – Unfair advantage.

Nepotism – Favoritism shown in employment-related matters and/or evaluations toward an individual with whom one is in a close relationship or toward a family member.

Supervising Authority – Any person who evaluates, investigates, and/or signs-off on performance, discipline, employment, payroll, leave, and/or benefit related issues. This includes team leaders and department chairs with duties related to classroom assignments.

This policy applies to all current employees and candidates for employment, whether full or part-time, temporary or permanent. It also applies to those contingent workers who are sourced through a contracted service.

Employment decisions must be based on merit, avoiding discrimination and favoritism of any kind.

An employee with supervising authority will not be in a position that directly or indirectly supervises, evaluates, disciplines, and/or makes decisions that impact the employment status of a family member and those with whom the employee has a close relationship.

Family members and those with whom the employee has a close relationship will not be hired, assigned, transferred, or promoted if such action would violate this policy.

This policy must be adhered to when determining assignments, transfers, promotions, terminations, and the administration of benefits.

Board of Education members and employees must notify the Executive Director of Human Resources (EDHR) within 10 business days of becoming aware that they are or have become a family member of or have entered into a close relationship with another Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) employee or member of the Board and submit the Relationship Disclosure Form.

When approved by the EDHR, individuals who are family members and those with whom the employee has a close relationship are permitted to work in the same school, division, department or office, provided no reporting or supervisor-to-subordinate relationship exists.

An employee may not influence the work responsibilities, salary, hours, career progress, benefits, or other terms and conditions of employment of his or her family member or those with whom the employee has a close relationship, separate from its impact on a group of employees.

Board members and employees will not vote or take action involving the employment, assignment, promotion, individual compensation, discipline, suspension, or dismissal of a family member or those with whom the employee has a close relationship. They must disqualify themselves from every proceeding, vote, and discussion regarding any such matter and must recuse and excuse themselves from the room during closed session discussions related to such procedures.

To prevent an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, employees within the Office of Human Resources (OHR), Payroll, General Counsel, and Internal Audit will recuse themselves from decisions that impact the wages, hours, benefits, career progress and other terms and conditions of employment of their family members and those with whom the employee has a close relationship.

There is no prohibition beyond these standards against family members or those with whom the employee has a close relationship working for HCPSS or working in the same location.

The OHR will ensure that all applicants have completed the Relationship Disclosure Form prior to hire, promotion, and/or transfer.

The OHR will ensure that all new employees are informed of this policy at the time of hire.

The OHR will consider the provisions of this policy when finalizing all assignments, transfers, and promotions.

Employees with supervisory authority will abide by the provisions of this policy.

The Superintendent/designee will report on the number of cases of nepotism found during monitoring efforts as part of the annual Human Resources Report.