HR-28: EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES 

Purpose

Consistent with the requirements of University Statutes, Article IX, Section 2, the purpose of this policy is to prevent conflicts of interest in connection with the employment of immediate family members of existing University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign employees.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, including but not limited to faculty, staff, and student employees and their immediate family. “Immediate family” includes an individual’s spouse, civil union partner, ancestors and descendants, all descendants of the individual’s grandparents, and the spouse or civil union partner, of any of the foregoing.

Authority

Office of the Chancellor

Policy

Employment of immediate family is permissible, subject to compliance with the University Statutes, resolution of conflicts of interest, and approval of the appointment and the conflict management plan by the appropriate human resources offices.

• Processes/Procedures/Guidelines

1. Each hiring unit must submit to Illinois Human Resources (IHR) for review all situations involving the employment or proposed employment of immediate family and resolve any potential conflicts. The hiring unit must complete the Employment of Relatives form and secure approval *prior* to making an offer of employment, or initiating a change in employment for a current employee. The hiring unit means the educational or administrative organizational component of the university that would make the offer of employment or the change in employment for a current employee.
2. IHR must review all situations in which a unit plans to hire an immediate family member within the same unit or when the requested hire would be paid on soft funds that are controlled by an immediate family member, regardless of appointing unit. Situations include hiring decisions, changes in existing positions, and transfers to new positions.
3. If IHR determines that the employment situation creates, or proposed employment action would create, a conflict of interest that can be effectively managed, the hiring unit must develop a conflict management plan. Upon its review of the conflict management plan, if IHR determines that the proposed plan does not effectively manage the conflict, the proposed employment action cannot occur.
4. If IHR determines that the proposed employment action would present, a conflict of interest that cannot be effectively managed, the proposed employment action cannot occur.
5. Hiring an immediate family member within the same unit through a non-competitive or conflicted search process is strongly discouraged, and the hire might not be approved by the appropriate HR office. Special consideration will be given when the proposed hire is a participant in the Dual Career program and/or when the position requires special skills or training.
6. All employees are obligated to report to their supervisor or Unit Executive Officer situations in which they could be in violation of this policy and to remove themselves from initiating or participating in any institutional decisions involving a direct benefit to an immediate family member.
7. IHR is responsible for reviewing and approving all proposed hires, in consultation with the Office of Student Financial Aid, Student Employment for cases involving undergraduate student employees, and the Office of the Provost for cases involving faculty.
8. The hiring unit will be responsible for retention of the finalized conflict management plan and updating the plan when changes occur. IHR must approve any changes to the conflict management plan. When a conflict management plan is no longer needed due to one or both employees leaving the university or moving to a new position, the hiring unit will notify IHR. IHR will track active conflict management plans and send a questionnaire regularly to ensure plans are current.
9. In cases where a conflict management plan is required, the plan must include the following information:

• • The names and job titles of the related individuals;
  • The employing unit for both individuals;
  • A description of the conflict of interest situation the plan addresses; and
  • A description of the reporting and decisional structure proposed to eliminate the conflict.

1. The affected employee or applicant may appeal a decision by IHR. Appeals must be directed to the Senior Associate Chancellor for Human Resources, who will work with the Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in cases involving faculty, or the Director of Student Financial Aid in cases involving undergraduate student employees. The resulting decision will be final.

Related Policies

Campus Administrative Manual, “Conflicts of Interest in Supervisory Relationships”

University of Illinois System Policy on Workplace-Related Intimate Personal Relationships

Exceptions

None

Contact

Questions regarding conflicts should be referred to the Labor and Employee Relations section of Illinois Human Resources, (217) 333-3105 or ihr-ler@mx.uillinois.edu.