Although laws against nepotism have been on the books for decades, nepotism “remains a problem that should be addressed,” MSPB has said, adding that “federal employees hiring their close relatives is too fundamentally contrary to the idea of a merit-based system to be ignored.”
It noted that in a survey it conducted in 2010, employees of each of 14 agencies with at least 400 respondents reported seeing nepotism, ranging from 3.4 to 15.9 percent. IG reports similarly continue to document instances of nepotism, it said, adding that the problem has been found at all levels and that HR staff “have been found complicit in assisting such actions.”
“The data show that when an employee perceives nepotism, the employee also tends to be far less likely to be engaged or motivated. Thus, the ramifications of nepotism can extend well beyond the individual who has been improperly hired or rewarded and affect the larger workforce,” it said.
“There is also a risk that when incidents become public, it will affect the public’s trust that the government is free from corruption. And, of course, if less qualified individuals are appointed and advanced, the work of the government is less likely to be performed properly,” it added.
It noted that the civil service law prohibition applies to personnel actions involving the employee’s father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half sister. There are also regulations pertaining to ethical conduct, which cover close familial relationships, members of the same household, and certain business relationships