E3.3 Employment of Relatives

Effective Date: August 30, 2019
Last Reviewed: August 30, 2019


Individuals who are related to current employees may apply and be considered without prejudice for any posted/advertised position at Stonehill College. Individuals must be hired on their own merits and not because they are related to a current employee.

No employee of the College may hire, evaluate, supervise, direct, promote, or participate in a decision involving the recruitment, retention, leave of absence, supervision, discipline, promotion, evaluation, or compensation of a relative.

A relative, for purposes of this policy, is defined as a spouse, child (including step-child), parent (including step-parent), grandparent, sibling, father or mother-in-law, brother or sister-in-law, son or daughter-in-law, an individual residing in the same household as an employee (excluding individuals in a landlord-tenant relationship or individuals who reside in the same residence as tenants) and an individual to whom the employee serves as legal guardian. Employees are responsible for informing their department director of such relationships.

If two employees become members of the same household or become related (as defined above), both may retain their positions, provided one is not under the direct or indirect supervision of the other. If a direct supervisory relationship does exist, the College will explore transferring one of the employees to another department within the College. If a transfer is not available, the immediate supervisor (as designated on the College’s organizational charts) in cooperation with the Director of Human Resources will closely monitor the situation. If a transfer position does not present itself within six (6) months, if conflict has resulted because of the relationship, or if a transfer has been proposed and refused by one of the employees, the Director of Human Resources, in consultation with the President or his designee, will work to resolve the situation. Resolution may involve termination of employment.

Indirect supervision results when relatives are employed within the same department but there is a level of supervision between the relatives. For example: two sisters work within the same department and one is the director and the other is an administrative assistant. The administrative assistant reports directly to the assistant director. Because one employee is a director, the immediate supervisor will be the divisional vice president. In cases of indirect supervision, the immediate supervisor, in cooperation with the Director of Human Resources, will closely monitor the situation. The immediate supervisor will be involved in all decisions including performance evaluations, promotions, disciplinary actions, salary adjustments, etc. to ensure fairness and equity. Under the example the immediate supervisor will be involved in stated actions of both sisters and the assistant director. The College will apply the foregoing in a non-discriminatory manner and shall ensure that the implementation of this Policy does not adversely affect employees of one gender over another.