Policy

Ramapo College permits the employment of relatives of current employees as long as no potential conflicts of interest result.

Reason for Policy

To set forth a policy regarding employment of relatives of current employees in compliance with current Conflict of Interest law.

To Whom Does The Policy Apply

All employees

Related Documents

Procedure 429: Nepotism

Supervisory Conflicts of Interest Certification (DOC)

State Ethics Commission

Contacts

Human Resources / Employee Relations
(201) 684-7506 / 7504

Procedure 429: Nepotism

Revised: June 7, 1995, February 22, 2010

Ramapo College permits the employment of relatives of current employees so long as no potential conflict of interest results. To alleviate potential conflict, an employee who has the power to appoint, reappoint, or confirm the appointment or reappointment of, approve a change in status of, evaluate performance for salary increment, promotion, or dismissal, of subordinates or subordinates of subordinates, may not hire, supervise, or otherwise manage a relative.

I. Definitions

In accordance with the State Ethics Commission (the Commission) guidelines based on the Conflicts Law (2006) the following is adopted by Ramapo College of New Jersey: A relative is defined as an employee’s spouse or the individual’s or spouse’s parent, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother or half sister, whether the relative is related to the individual or the employee’s spouse by blood, marriage, or adoption.

II. Family Members Working for the Same Agency

In the case of relatives who work for the same agency, direct supervisor/subordinate relationships are not permitted.

III. Hiring Family Members
With respect to hiring of family members, the Commission looks at the totality of circumstances surrounding the hire to determine whether unwarranted privilege has been afforded a family member. Note that the Conflicts Law prohibits hiring in some circumstances. See N.J.S.A. 52:13D21.2

IV. Interacting with Family Members in the Private Sector
With respect to interactions with family members or their private sector employers, the Commission generally recommends recusal from matters involving the relative and/or the relative’s employer, in order to eliminate any appearance of impropriety.

V. Dating and Other Relationships
The Commission’s policy concerning spouses who work in the same agency is also applicable to non-related individuals who share the same household with the same financial interdependence that the Commission views as creating a conflict in spousal situations. In the case of employees involved in a dating relationship, the Commission has found violations of the unwarranted privilege and appearance sections of the statutes in situations where the State employee had official involvement in a matter affecting the employee with whom he/she had a dating relationship.

VI. Notification

Employees must notify supervisors within 30 days of any current relative at Ramapo College as described in the Nepotism policy, and must communicate any future change in relatedness with another employee (such as marriage, divorce, or separation) within 30 days of occurrence. If such change occurs in the same school/unit, they must be approved for continuing employment in the same school/unit by the supervising Vice President and the President. Such approval may be granted only when no conflict exists. Hiring supervisors must determine the existence of other related Ramapo employees and receive approvals prior to extending an internal or external offer of employment.

In any case where related employees are employed in circumstances noted above which were in effect prior to the implementation of this policy, it will be the responsibility of the supervising Vice President to review the circumstances and determine the necessity for change or the granting of an exception.

VII. Other Resources

For a more complete discussion of this subject, see Official Interactions with Family Members/Cohabitants and Dating Relationships, at www.nj.gov/ethics/statutes/guide/famcode.html

The Office of Employee Relations will periodically review employee records and require “Supervisory Conflicts of Interest Certification” as potential conflicts of interest are identified.