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Nepotism

Policy Information

PDF version
Policy Number: 
UHAP 2.20
Responsible Unit: 
Faculty Affairs

Policy

ABOR-PM 6-704, Hiring of Relatives, states the following:

  1. Persons related to each other may be employed at a university, except that no employee of a university may employ, direct the employment, promote, or direct the promotion, supervise the work, evaluate the performance, or influence the compensation of any person related to the employee within the third degree, or work for, arrange, suggest or be a party to the employment, or promotion of any person in consideration of the appointment or promotion of a person related to the employee within the degree provided by this section.
  2. Persons related to each other may be employed in the same department or other comparable administrative unit except when
    1. An employee is responsible for making decisions in personnel matters involving the appointment, retention or salary level of any person related to the employee within the third degree.
    2. An employee is responsible for supervising, evaluating or auditing the work of any person related to the employee within the third degree.
    3. Other circumstances exist which place an employee in a situation of actual or reasonable conflict between the interests of the university and that of any person related to the employee within the third degree.
  3. An employee can be related to a person within the third degree either by affinity or consanguinity. Relationships to the third degree include: parents, parents-in-law, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, aunt, uncle, niece, and nephew.

Also, in the Arizona Revised Statutes 38-481, "Employment of relatives; violation; classification; definition,"

  1. It is unlawful, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, for an executive, legislative, ministerial or judicial officer to appoint or vote for appointment of any person related to him by affinity or consanguinity within the third degree to any clerkship, office, position, employment or duty in any department of the state, district, county, city or municipal government of which such executive, legislative, ministerial or judicial officer is a member, when the salary, wages or compensation of such appointee is to be paid from public funds or fees of such office, or to appoint of any person in consideration of the appointment of a person related to him within the degree provided by this section.
  2. Any executive, legislative, ministerial or judicial officer who violates any provisions of this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.
  3. The designation executive, legislative, ministerial or judicial officer includes all officials of the state, or of any county or incorporated city within the state, holding office either by election or appointment, and the heads of the departments of state, county or incorporated cities, officers, and board or managers of the universities.

Nepotism policy is also cross-referenced in Section 2.06.08, Conflict of Interest.

Revision History*

This policy is under review for consolidation with CSM 108.0, Employment of Relatives.

* Please note that sections titled Frequently Asked Questions, Sources, Related Information, and Revision History are provided solely for the convenience of users and are not part of the official University policy.

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