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Board directs rewrite of hiring policy to limit direct-supervision by relatives, pauses immediate hire
Summary
After debating a Register of Deeds candidate related to an existing unit employee, commissioners directed staff to return a revised personnel policy that prohibits direct supervision of relatives and requires board approval for exceptions rather than approving an immediate waiver.
Commissioners debated March 16 whether to waive an existing personnel rule that restricts hiring relatives within the same administrative unit after a department recommended a candidate with a sister-in-law already working in the Economic Services unit.
Staff said the candidate had not yet been interviewed or offered employment and that the sister-in-law would not directly supervise the applicant. Some commissioners favored narrowly revising the policy to allow relatives in the same unit provided there is no direct supervision. Others cautioned that routine policy waivers could create perceptions of favoritism in future hires.
Rather than approve the immediate hire, the board voted to direct staff to return a revised policy clarifying that relatives may not be directly supervised by family members and that any exception must be reviewed and approved by the board. Commissioners suggested a target of the April 13 meeting for the revised policy.
The candidates hiring was paused pending the policy revision and any additional board action.
