Cobb Professional Fire Fighters IAFF L-2563

Nepotism Policy

Effective Date: Adopted 1/87; Revised: 8/89, 12/90, 6/92, 5/95, 12/96, 4/97, 3/17

§-I. PURPOSE

To provide regulations concerning the employment of relatives within the same department.

In adopting a nepotism policy, the County has legitimate interests in attempting to discourage

and prevent certain behaviors and/or issues, including, conflicts of interest, the appearance or

existence of favoritism, family conflicts, and the appearance, existence or toleration of harassment

or discrimination in the workplace.

§-II. SCOPE

All employees of the Board of Commissioners, including full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal

employees, employees on restricted duty, and employees in secondary employment jobs of an official

capacity.

§-III. DEFINITIONS

Direct chain-of-command relationship applies to Department of Public Safety employees. For the

purposes of Police and Fire & Emergency Services, the direct chain of command includes all ranks up

to and including Police Major and Fire Battalion Chief. For the purposes of E-911, the direct chain of command includes all ranks up to and including Assistant Director. Family member is defined as a spouse, child, parent, brother, sister, step-parent, stepchild, stepsibling,

grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half-brother, half-sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law. These relationships shall include those arising

from adoption.

Personnel actions and investigations include, but are not limited to, hiring decisions, promotions/assessments, pay raises, transfers, duty assignments, disciplinary and/or

corrective actions, and workplace investigations.

Secondary Employment of an Official Capacity applies to sworn or certified (i.e., P.O.S.T.

certification or certification by the State of Georgia) employees of the Department of Public

Safety, and is defined as work for an employer other than the department during off-duty hours

involving the performance of duties in the employee’s certified capacity.

Work Location is defined as the geographic location where an employee is ordinarily assigned or

reports to work or as otherwise designated by management

§-IV. POLICY

This policy is intended to ensure that employees who are family members will not directly supervise

or report to one another, will not participate in personnel actions or investigations involving another

family member, and will not otherwise exercise influence over another family member’s employment.

Cobb County prohibits (1) the hiring or continued employment of a family member to work on the

same shift and in the same work location as another family member, (2) the hiring or continued

employment of a family member that would result in a supervisory/subordinate or direct chain-ofcommand

relationship (3) the participation by a family member in a workplace investigation of an

employment matter or in proposing or effecting any personnel actions involving another family

member, and (4) family members performing Secondary Employment of an Official Capacity for the

same employer at the same location during the same hours.

§-V. PROCEDURES

A. Disclosure of Family Member Relationships. Applicants for employment must disclose the identity

of family members working in the department for which they are applying. Employees who

become family members following their employment must disclose the identity of other family

members working in the same department.

Employees in the same department who plan to marry must notify the Department/Agency

Director as soon as possible, but in any event no later than the date of their marriage, to allow for

the department to make sufficient arrangements consistent with this policy.

Applicants or employees who fail to disclose their relationships with family members employed in

the same department may be subject to disqualification, corrective action, or disciplinary action,

up to and including termination.

B. Family Member Relationships Arising After Employment. In the event employees become family

members after their dates of employment, the following procedures shall apply:

(1) If the new family member relationship results in a supervisory or chain-of-command

conflict, the department has discretion to make employment decisions and/or

assignments consistent with Section IV of this policy.

(2) If no supervisory or chain-of-command conflict exists, the department has discretion to

make employment decisions and/or assignments consistent with Section IV of this

policy.

(3) Where feasible, the department may transfer or reassign any family member (other

than those already employed on the effective date of this revision) to avoid any

direct supervision, and to comply with this policy within thirty (30) days, and shall

provide at least a ten (10) day notice to the employee of the new assignment.

(4) If a transfer or reassignment cannot be arranged, either person may resign. If neither

person chooses to resign, the less senior employee with the department shall be

separated from his/her employment.