Number:

304.1

Section:

Administrative Employees

Title:

Nepotism

Date Adopted:

July 23, 2002

Date Reviewed:

January 25, 2005

Purpose
This policy establishes guidelines for employees and Board members that define conflict of interest and to promote integrity in the conduct of business in compliance with regulations and applicable laws.

Any district employee who is responsible for employing, evaluating, promoting, or disciplining other district employees shall not be placed in a position of having to make such personnel decisions affecting a member of his or her family. Recognizing that personnel decisions are crucial to an effective and efficient operation, it is in the best interests of the district to ensure proper accountability, and perception thereof, by avoiding the factor of family relationships in supervisor/supervisee roles.

Delegation of Responsibility
The Superintendent or designee is empowered to administer the provisions of this policy.

Definitions
For purpose of this policy, the following definitions will be used:

Board Members--All members of the Upper Moreland School District Board of Directors

Employee--All approved full- and part-time district employees, including consultants

Relatives--Those related by blood, marriage, or adoption, including father,
mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, grandchild, nephew, niece, first cousin, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, or aunt, as defined in PA School Code of 1949, Section 1111.

Supplementary Employment --Any work performed by a district employee for an employer other than the district.

Conflict of Interest-- A situation or transaction that compromises the relationship
between a board member or an employee and the district. A conflict of interest may arise from conditions such as the following:

• outside financial or business connections interests or obligations which affect the operations of the district
• an employee’s outside or supplementary employment which adversely affects an employee’s availability or level of performance
• the employment of relatives in situations in which preferential treatment or favoritism may occur

Supervision-- Direct responsibility for job performance and evaluation, as
further clarified in the Guidelines of this policy.

Guidelines
The school district will not employ, assign or reassign members of the same family to any position with the school district, when such employment, assignment, or reassignment would require the employee or prospective employee to supervise or evaluate, or be supervised or evaluated by any other employee who is a member of the same immediate family as defined in the PA School Code of 1949, Section 1111.

The hiring of individuals related to Board members will be controlled by school law, as in the PA School Code of 1949, Section 1111.

Persons related to district employees or Board members may be recommended for employment in positions which do not constitute a violation of this policy. However, when the administration is aware that a recommended candidate is a relative of a district employee or Board member, the Board will be informed of the relationship prior to the time the recommendation appears on the agenda.

Nothing in this policy shall affect the employment status of any person presently employed by the Board of Education.

Exceptions to this policy may be approved at the sole discretion of the Board.

Preferential Treatment
Preferential treatment in hiring or other personnel actions will not be extended to relatives, board members, employees, or other persons affiliated with the district. Former members of the Board will not be employed by the district for one year after discontinuing service. Current members of the Board will not be employed by the district.

Supervision
An employee will not be supervised by a relative or by any person who is supervised by a relative. If such situations exist or arise after initial employment, every effort will be made to make reassignments as soon as possible.