Series 4000: District Employment

A. General

Employment decisions motivated by nepotism, as defined below, are prohibited to avoid conflicts of interest, favoritism, and lost productivity. Employment decisions will be based on qualifications, experience, and other legitimate business reasons. This Policy applies to all categories of employment including regular, temporary, and part-time classifications.

B. Definitions

1. “Nepotism” means favoritism in the workplace based on a relationship with a relative or significant other.

2. Relative” means a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, first cousin, niece, nephew, or corresponding in-law, step, or adopted relative.

3. “Significant others” means (1) persons engaged to be married, (2) persons involved in a romantic or personal relationship, or (3) persons who are cohabitating.

C. Employment Decisions

The District may employ relatives and significant others in the absence of nepotism. In making employment decisions, including hiring, placement, supervision, directing work, promoting, compensating, evaluating, and disciplining employees who are a relative or significant other, an employee should:

1. disclose the existence of any relationships subject to this Policy to the Superintendent or designee;

2. avoid conflicts of interest, as defined in Policy 4201, and any appearance of a conflict of interest; and

3. avoid favoritism and any appearance of favoritism

An employee’s relative or significant other should not be hired to work in any position in which the Board or designee concludes a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest may exist. Relatives and significant others are permitted to work at the District provided one does not report directly to, supervise, evaluate, or manage the other. The Superintendent or designee, or the Board, as applicable, may make exceptions to this Policy.

Supervisors and subordinates who become relatives or significant others while employed may be subject to transfer, reassignment, or other action based on the need for compliance with this Policy.

Legal authority: MCL 380.11a, 380.601a

Date adopted: 08/09/2021

Date revised: 06/19/2023