SECTION: HUMAN RESOURCES INDEX: C-6

SUBJECT: NEPOTISM

POLICY

The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) wants to avoid  the appearance of favoritism that may result from employment relationships with relatives. Therefore, relatives of UHV employees shall not be employed in positions where the employee has the official authority to hire, recommend, or approve the hiring, salary, or promotion of the relative.

Relatives shall not be employed in a supervisor-subordinate relationship, even if it results from marriage after the employment relationship was established. The supervisor-subordinate relationship shall be interpreted to include all levels of line administrative supervisors, from the lowest to the highest, not just the immediate supervisor.

Relatives of members of the Board of Regents or the Chancellor shall not be employed by UHV, unless the employment preceded the appointment of the Board member or Chancellor by one year.

An employee who violates this  policy is subject to reassignment and/or  disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. A violation may occur by knowingly approving the hiring of a relative, being hired by a relative, or working for a relative.

This policy complies with University of Houston System Board of Regents Policy 49.07 and System Administrative Memorandum 02.A.21, which are based on State of Texas law. This policy applies to all positions--full- and part-time, permanent and temporary, in all  UHV programs, regardless of funding source.

Definitions

Nepotism: Favoritism shown to a relative by employment on the basis of the relationship

Relative: For the purposes of this policy, the following are considered relatives:

• the employee’s spouse
• the employee’s or the spouse’s natural and adopted children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents; brothers, sisters, half brothers, and half sisters; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first cousins, and second cousins; and persons married to them

PROCEDURE

When making hiring decisions,  employees with hiring authority will not hire relatives in positions that are in violation of this policy, to the extent any family relationship is known. Where questions exist regarding the appropriateness of hiring a relative of a  UHV employee, the hiring authority must consult with the Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action

When nepotism situations result from changes in employment status or marriage or when family relationships between employees are discovered, the  department head is responsible for reporting the potential nepotism situation to the Director of HR/AA ., who will work with the  department head, and, where necessary, the appropriate cabinet level supervisor and the President. If it is determined that a nepotism violation exists, a decision shall be made to remedy the relationship  by transferring  one employee or changing the reporting relationship. Where no remedy is available, it may be necessary to  terminate the employment relationship with one or both of the employees.

Approved by:

Signature obtained                 2/13/03
Dr. Karen S. Haynes             Date
President

Next review date:   February 2005
Originating department:   Human Resources