Nepotism Policy

Purpose:

It is the policy of the State of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina at Asheville that persons considered for employment or promotion shall be evaluated on the basis of individual merit, including qualifications, experience and training, without reference to considerations of race, sex, color, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other factors not involving personal professional qualifications and performance. The purpose of this Nepotism Policy is to prevent improper favoritism in employment based upon family or personal relationships within the University.

Scope:

This policy applies to all employees: SHRA, EHRA and temporary employees.

Definitions:

Immediate Family: For the purpose of this policy, “immediate family” or relative is defined as:

• Spouse,
• Parent,
• Brother or sister
• Son or daughter
• Grandparent, grandson, or granddaughter,
• Aunt or Uncle
• Niece or Nephew
• First cousin
• Guardian or ward, and
• Step-, half- and in-law relations of this same list.

Employment restrictions may also include others living within the same household or otherwise so closely identified with each other as to suggest conflict in the employment relationship.

Policy:

Relatives may not occupy a position which has influence over another’s employment, transfer or promotion, salary administration, or other related management or personnel consideration, including a position having responsibility for the direct supervision of the other related person. This includes participating individually or as a member of a screening committee or other committee that recommends personnel actions or considerations of the other person.

If relatives are considered for employment, it is necessary for the department head to certify that such action will not result in one family member supervising another member of the immediate family. Immediate family members of current employees (permanent or temporary) may not be employed within the same department unless specifically approved by the appropriate Vice Chancellor after consultation with the Director or Assistant Director of Human Resources.

A person related to an incumbent employee may not be employed if the professional qualifications of other candidates for the available position are demonstrably superior to those of the related person. In a situation where two or more related persons are to be employed within the same academic or institutional department, the department must certify that no other candidate for the position in question possesses qualifications superior to those of the relative candidate.

The Chancellor shall report annually to the Board of Trustees at the regular meeting falling closest to the date of commencement, concerning all specific cases involving permanent positions during the preceding year in which the terms of this policy were applied. This includes both the decisions and the justifications for those decisions where employment was denied or allowed under the guidelines of the nepotism policy.