The Gordon Administration has instituted New Castle County’s first ever nepotism policy to eliminate preferential treatment, partiality and the appearance of impropriety within the halls of County Government.
The new policy helps to ensure that hiring, supervision and management of County employees is conducted in a fair manner that enhances public confidence.
Chief Administrative Officer David Grimaldi worked with Chief Human Resources Officer Valencia L. Beaty to write the policy, which reflects County Executive Tom Gordon’s ongoing commitment to transparency in government.
“We want to foster professionalism,” Grimaldi said. “We want to make sure people have an equal opportunity to be employed here. Moreover, we want employees to advance their careers based on talent and performance rather than family ties.”
The policy forbids the hiring of any individual into a position in which the person will be supervised by a relative, allows relatives to work in the same department as long as one relative does not supervise the other, and forbids anyone from having influence over salary and benefits for his or her relatives, among other things.
Beaty says the nepotism policy applies to all new hires, rehires and to future promotions, transfers and other moves by current employees.
She sent out a memorandum about the new policy on July 23, 2013.