POLICY 1
ANTI-NEPOTISM

SECTION INDEX:    Nepotism

1    Purpose

2    Reference

3    Application

4    Guidance

4.1    Request to Hire

4.2    Relationship Occurring During Employment

4.3    Final Determination

4.4    Relative Defined

1. PURPOSE

The City will not hire relatives of a City employee if:

a.    One employee would have the authority or be in a position to supervise, hire, remove or discipline the other; or

b.    one employee would be responsible for auditing or evaluating the work of the other; or

c.    other circumstances exist that would place the relatives in a situation of actual or reasonably foreseeable conflict between the City’s interest and their own.

2. REFERENCE

WAC 162-16-250, City of Olympia Policy 17-Personnel Actions-Section 4.1 - Appointments.

3. APPLICATION

This Policy applies to all individuals employed by the City of Olympia.

Failure to comply with this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination from City service.

4. GUIDANCE

4.1. REQUEST TO HIRE

When a department wishes to hire an employee’s relative, the department director should submit a written request to the Human Resources Director about the appointment decision.

4.2. RELATIONSHIP OCCURRING DURING EMPLOYMENT

When a relationship, as described in Section 4.4, is created by marriage, domestic partnership, or another development during the time when both involved employees work for the City, the two employees may remain in their existing positions only if they are not in conflict with the restrictions stated in this Policy.

If a conflict is created by the new relationship, the City will attempt to arrange a transfer or change in position for one of the employees. If a suitable transfer/change in position is not available, one of the employees will be separated from City service. A reasonable attempt will be made to affect a transfer or separation on the basis of agreement between the involved employees and the City. If a mutual agreement is unattainable, the Human Resources Director will determine based on the best interests of the City, which employee will be offered a transfer or separated from service.

4.3. FINAL DETERMINATION

The Human Resources Director will make the final determination as to whether or not a situation of conflict exists.

4.4. RELATIVE DEFINED

Relative, for the purpose of this Policy, includes:

a.    Parent or step-parent

b.    Child or step-child

c.    Adopted or foster child

d.    Daughter-in-law or son-in-law

e.    Grandchild

f.    Niece or nephew

g.    Sibling or step-sister or step-brother

h.    Spouse

i.    Domestic Partner

j.    Mother-in-law or father-in-law

k.    Grandparent

l.    Aunt or Uncle

m.    First cousin

n.    Domestic partner’s relatives

Revision history: February, 2021; October 2013; September 2011; May 1990. Superseded: Administrative Guideline “Nepotism”.