Employment of Members of the Same Family


Scope: Who is Covered by this Policy?

Employees

Policy

Miami University imposes no restrictions on the concurrent employment of members of the same immediate family except the following:

  1. One immediate family member may not supervise another or be in the supervisory line. No individual may be assigned to a department or a unit under the direct or indirect supervision of an immediate family member. Students may not work in the same department as another immediate family member. An agreement must be reached as part of the terms of the initial appointment designating the position to which the individual will report. This agreement is subject to the approval of the senior administrator of the division in which the person is employed. If the individual is an immediate family member of the senior administrator of the division, then the agreement is subject to the approval of the appropriate vice president or the President, as applicable. Supervision includes the awarding of any benefits (e.g., promotion, retention, salary, leaves of absence, etc.).
  2. Each immediate family member must be judged on his or her own merits and shall not be prejudiced (favorably or unfavorably) by the employment of another immediate family member or by their activities, status, rank, or position.
  3. Each immediate family member must conduct himself or herself in accordance with all applicable state ethics laws and University ethics policies (See the policy “Conflicts of Interest/Commitment”).
  4. Specifically, immediate family members may not:
    1. participate in searches or initial appointment decisions if an immediate family member is a candidate for the position;
    2. authorize, vote upon, discuss, deliberate, recommend, or otherwise use the authority or influence of his or her position, formally or informally, to secure the employment, retention, promotion, or tenure of an immediate family member, or to approve payment to an immediate family member for services rendered in his or her public employment. This provision does not prohibit immediate family members from providing requested factual information regarding the immediate family member’s work-related activities (e.g., spouses who are coauthors on research or scholarly papers may provide factual information on the nature of the co-authorship and contributions of each for evaluation, promotion, and/or tenure purposes).

For the purpose of this policy, “immediate family” includes the following relatives, regardless of where they reside:

  1. spouse;
  2. children [whether dependent or not];
  3. siblings;
  4. parents;
  5. grandparents; and
  6. grandchildren.

It also includes any other person related by blood or by marriage and living in the same household.


Related Form(s)

Not Appicable.


Additional Resources and Procedures

Not Applicable.


FAQ

Not Applicable.


Policy Administration

Next Review Date

7/1/2023

Responsible Officer  

  • Associate Vice President for Human Resources
  • Assistant Provost for Academic Personnel

Legal Authority  

  • ORC 2921.42
  • ORC Ch. 102

Compliance Policy

No

Recent Revision History

 

Reference ID(s)

  • MUPIM 3.15
  • OAC 3339-3-15

Reviewing Bodies

  • Associate Vice President for Human Resources
  • Assistant Provost for Academic Personnel
  • General Counsel