A city ordinance that would prohibit the hiring of employee or elected official relatives was presented to the Park Ridge City Council this week for consideration.
The ordinance was first proposed by Alderman Marc Mazzuca at its Sept. 23 meeting.
It reads as follows:
AN ORDINANCE ENACTING AN ANTI-NEPOTISM POLICY
WHEREAS, the City of Park Ridge (“City”), is an Illinois home rule municipal corporation operating under and pursuant to the Illinois Constitution and Illinois Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, decisions concerning the employment, evaluation, promotion and compensation of City personnel should be based in every instance on considerations of individual merit; and
WHEREAS, favoritism based on family or personal relationships between employees derogates from the merit principle of employment; and
WHEREAS, the risk of occurrence of such favoritism can be avoided most effectively by the advance establishment of general restrictions and prohibitions against the creation of situations where such favoritism could be operative; and
WHEREAS, a common policy concerning the employment of related persons, applicable to personnel practices at the City is desirable.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Park Ridge, Cook County, Illinois, in exercise of its home rule powers, as follows:
1. Recitals. The foregoing recitals shall be, and are hereby, incorporated into and made a part of this Resolution as if fully set forth in this paragraph.
2. Basic Principles. It is the policy of the City to prohibit nepotism. Consistent with that policy and the principle that City employees and prospective employees should be evaluated on the basis of individual merit, without reference to considerations of race, sex, religion or national origin, or any other factors not involving personal professional qualifications and performance, the following restrictions, designed to avoid the possibility of favoritism based on family relationship, shall be observed with respect to employment of all City personnel:
A. Immediate Family Members of the City Council; City Manager. Members of the City Council’s, the City Manager’s and any Department Head’s immediate family may not be considered for employment by the City and may not be hired by the City. Immediate family shall be defined herein to mean a spouse (including any analogous relationship recognized by law), parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent, all equivalent step, in-law and half relationships, and any and all guardians and wards of the official.
B. Extended Family Members of the City Council; City Manager. Members of the City Council’s, the City Manager’s and any Department Head’s extended family may not be considered for employment by the City and may not be hired unless all of the following do not apply:
(1) a supervisor/subordinate relationship is created between the family members;
(2) there is a potential for creating an adverse impact on work performance; and
(3) the employment creates either an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Extended family shall be defined herein as any family relation not within the immediate relationship defined above.
C. Family Members of Staff. Members of any other staff member’s immediate or extended family will be considered for employment on the basis of their qualifications. However, immediate family may not be hired, promoted or transferred, if employment, promotion or transfer would: (1) create a supervisor/subordinate relationship between family members; (2) have the potential for creating an adverse impact on work performance; or (3) create either an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
D. It is the responsibility of every employee to identify to the Human Resources Department, the City Attorney and the City Manager any personal relationship which falls under the prohibitions identified in this policy.
Employees who fail to disclose personal relationships covered by this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including the termination of employment.
E. Where the terms of this ordinance require an evaluation whether employment, promotion or transfer of a family member could create an adverse impact on work performance, an actual conflict of interest or the
appearance of a conflict of interest, such decision shall be made in the reasonable judgment of: (a) in the case of an extended family member of the City Manager or an Elected Official, the disinterested members of the City
Council, or (b) in the case of a family member of all other City Staff, the City Manager.
The provisions in this Ordinance apply to the categories of employees, including full-time, part-time, permanent intermittent, limited-term appointment and consultant.
This policy does not apply to members of boards and commissions, seasonal and temporary employees, and does not apply to individuals applying for positions under the jurisdiction of the Park Ridge Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.
3. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be applicable prospectively only, with reference to personnel decisions made after the adoption date of the policy and shall be effective date provided by law.
4. Publication. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to publish this Ordinance in pamphlet form according to law.
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