BYU promotes equal opportunity in employment. Job openings are filled by recruiting and hiring qualified applicants without regard to gender, race, national origin, age, or disability. To ensure fairness and equity, the hiring of relatives or near relatives must be carefully administered. In any instance involving potential nepotism, job openings must be listed with the appropriate employment office and be open to all qualified applicants. Hiring departments are urged to counsel with the appropriate employment office to resolve any concerns of possible nepotism before the hiring occurs.
The following two scenarios serve as examples of legitimate exceptions to the nepotism policy. The procedures associated with these examples apply to other similar exceptions.
1. A graduate or upperclassman may be employed in the same academic or administrative department as a near relative if disallowing the employment might preclude the student from having an essential or valuable academic experience in his or her major field of study.
Procedures:
- The near relative should not directly supervise the student.
- The department chair and dean or administrative unit director (as the case may be) as well as the Student Employment Office must approve the exception prior to the hire.
- Contact Student Employment.
2. Some university positions may require several years of professional, technical or specialized training, and a person related to an employee may be the most qualified candidate. When this occurs, all persons involved in the hiring process must be made aware of the potential conflict.
Procedures:
- The appropriate employment office (faculty, staff, or student) must request appropriate approval to hire the near relative. If the approval is given, the approval document must explicitly state that the relationships of the affected individuals in the department are recognized and allowed.
- The dean/director and department chair/manager, and the Associate Academic Vice President-Faculty or Assistant Administrative Vice President-Human Resource Services must approve the hire before such employment may occur.
In the event one employee assumes a supervisory position over a near relative, the following procedures must be applied:
- The next higher person in a line supervisory position will conduct the annual salary review of the near relative. When the near relative is a member of the President's Council, the review will be conducted by the Office of the Commissioner of the Church Educational System. The supervisory near relative should also be consulted.
- Any evaluation made by a supervisor of a near relative should explicitly be reviewed and countersigned by the next higher person in a line supervisory position. When the near relative is a member of the President's Council, the review will be conducted and the countersignature supplied by the Office of the Commissioner of the Church Educational System.
To see the university policy to which these procedures are associated, please click here.