HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 6942I
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OillGINAL
R.ESOLU7!0N NO. 6942
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO AL'IO
AMENDING SEC'TIONS 302 AND 403 OF I'HE MERIT SYSTEM
RULES ANO REGUT.A~IONS (NEPOTISM POLICY)
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto wishes tc-re:maln tree from
nepotism, including allegationJI or appearances of nepotism: and
WHEREAS, the City previously adopted a tiepoti.shl policy and
Resolution No. 6451 dated December 2, 1985 in ord~r t~ i!Dplement
this desire.~-~~~
WHEREAS, the City (:!)u:.lcil 'Wi•h.~e to ~t.lnd the Cit:,~' &
prESsent. nepoti1H& policy aet t~rtt:, in ti1• Merit sy111tem Jmles an.;
Regulations in order to tre6t City dep~rbne~t h~ada in the sa~
ma.nma·r ~s othe:r-r-egt;lar e!Dploy8rr.r; am1 J ~ or:-·de:l:' to prot,ihi t ~ployu.c
participation in emplo:J"m:l?nt cl~ciai~ns a1'fe.:.~ti~9 f~~ily me:P-herc:: ~nd
WHER~.s r the City COU!'lc"!_t ~ '.t~l ~:"~1.'f:S that thesa =~d i.f i~~.t:l~r:~
wi.l~--~~r.t~f.it the Cit.y by en'31~t:;.1:rig r~..:,i~u.ttm~nt. i:md ·!'.'.'e't..:;.nl:.it.:tn ,,.f
highly cp .. u~Jj tied e-.mploye~s ~
NOH, TEF~F0~1 th~ Cou~~il of ~~ City of Palo Aitu do~s
.RESOLV.e aa fol!..•.::";."a •
~,. S~in:n J:Ji Qf the MsrH:. S}"st~:m RQl€s and.
Ril~Hlati::ins !~ h~reby aMrx.g1d-ed tea read &fl follctws ~
.~a ::.. __ Ji'~~llL.. (ft~ H~t:w i th~i: '!~~:. ng Sect i.~n 3o1 ~ :lo
memt->al' ol. the 11l"Wtedi~t.~ f8'.;.nllx \~! an act.iv~ C·~n.mcil Me::~.:..::::::-~;; ,;.
desi9nat~d ~?.1!ploy!;!~ -~:; ~~~~ .e:r. s:ploy~& ::\\n:i.-,.;~ -;;1-,e -c.er-w of that
ComH.;il M~-otiber or WO pe·cic:Ml ct G:wplc~e-rrt of the designated
employlf!e. ·1·hi.s secti..:Jn ae>cua not. appl}'" to two :mfmber.s ot ar1
imlrl.ediat~ !alhily who ~re at.".t.!:.~=ii?eci to ~hare a sinqle ~·osition.
fb) m~tvithst.andint:J" S~c-c.ion Jo1 ~ the spou~ of a city
employeG m.ay not beco-!M a.n $mployce witnin t'.he sue di"Tisier. (oz·
the Bii'2{e dtlpartmen't_!_l.f tt .. ~ .Jepartn:tmt dt"Jee :not ccnt~.i!'! ~!visiun:;~
~~ tbat city employe~ i:f t.h~ d h'B:::r.~r of human resoux-c~s de·te.r-
:mines thJJto" fr.:n: busines$ r•a~o.m::; 1:-:f $Upen..~is.ion, safety, ~"'t:.~1.,.ity
or 'Ulcrala, thG ll.'O:t'k ol snch ~~1('yee:g. invi:.lvas pr...t~nti~J conflicts
ot :f.nterost -:-;~· other h&ll>ard::i: gr-:::at-&X' f~r :an.t\r:L'1e.! ccl"~.lp.1~$ t:.han for
cth~r persons.
{c) NotwH.::.."'t~t~nding Section JGl: E. parent, sib11tig or
child of a cit.y en?plcye-e :.11ay n~-::,t D~come an $~plcyea w~ thin tl";.$:
~~e division {or tb.s 8G.:m<-s de~r·;.roent, if the depc!n.-t.ueut ·.fo~r, n".'lt
covtafr. ~iviaion!t! ~a the city ~mph:.yee. Thia aubsec'ticn aoen :·;~.t
apply to two such l'.al.at.ive:'!I who a.re a:,_1ti.'lo:t'ized to share a singl~
~'nsition.
(u; No employe:e or de-slgnated e·~1 -:·:·~~ ::h~,11 e!Z!pl.oy / appoint, raaoi41ilend fO't' app-ointn-~nt or ln tu;.y cth~n.· lfr.anner partici-
pate or attempt to pa:"',·:icipat3 in the hirinq, prol'.ll.otio~1, demotion,
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termination or discipline of any member of his or her immediate
family.
(e) For purposes of this section, the following defini-
tions are in effect:
{l) "I:nmediat.e !amfly" means the spouse, parent,
sibling or child of the employee .
(2) "Employee" means an individual hired tor hourly,
regular full-time, regular part-time or contract elfi!°)loyment, c.
director of a uepartment or an individual servi119" as ~ memzer of a
city board or commission.
(~) IJ;'D••ignated empJoyae• '114)a;:m an e~loyee wb.o is a
Col:ncil-A-ppoi!ltoo Officer or &:!e..isit.a~t c:l t.y mon&cyer.. It .irii
hf;:rt=.;by detenained that,, tar busd.i'l~'.!ls l.'~'lsons et· tm.peri11 s ion,
sa.fety, securi-ey and 11ot'i::tl0, a m~~:r of th~ il!'.IJt.-adi~:ta famlly of
s1.:ch a deaigiri:a'tad empl-c1yfte may :.1ot. !)e &1!'!.pl<>yed witt;ii."l the ~ity.
(4> iht:Jivision~ M;ans a division ~pecifl~d in Chapter :z. 06 of the Palo Al to M-..micipal Codiz.
(5) "'.C~pa~nt,a rnea.ns a d~partlllen~ apeci.fied in
Chap't.~r 2. cs o:f" t~e .Palo Alt~ ~ta:..icip~l c~?d.e.
aa~a_.a. Sect.io!'l 403 l"Jf the Merit 3yat.en :?ules and
Requlatior,s is her'5by ill2!ended 'to rea(j aE; !O.ll'iWS ~
403. ~ntnatio~L-lJ.Sm~l~. (a) Im
~ployce lll!:l.j' b..~ t:enaint!ted by the appoint1?\g aut.iriox-ity at any t:li;te,
:roi: inabili"ty to perform the duties ot the poi'-iti·on. R~lar
m.1'1loy0es shall be given a ;uritten st~telllant of thic= re~E!ons for
sue:~~ tezl3.:ln&tion And may appeal sueh action in t..:.he: man.rv:r-p:rov·i.de>'J
in Section 1004..
{b} 1.f. any ~ploy~e !lnd a Councll Mrua'to~r. or a d~sirin!l!t.ed
~plo-:tt:e becc-r.ie !i!tmhars ~~:f ~.~~ ~~~':' :_:'.."=..:=::.:::..::.:, ·:.::.::.:..~:x t \:iu:·(.'IJ.<Jh
».&rriaqe or adopt.i1'.'.)n): ('l.'r if a !O·!·~ar of" an e~ploy.a.a • s immei;Uate
family iG &lf!ct~d to th.a City Cou'?'cil, Ql' becomes a desiq.natQd
emp!oyQe ona o:t tJie pt!it;~cn~ must. l.i&ii.ve city ~'ITl!J\.oyment or elect:i".:e
~!fi•;e~ If t:tte t.wo pe:rilol'i$ ha-,v,; not m:sdlij ~ c1:oic-e within ::rn ~..Z!.z'~
of ·i:ne ~stablish:.~ent at 'et\e !~~ily r:r:1atir,m~hip, or the el~ct i.cn ~v
bffice, or tha ae8UMpti.\:'n of the new posit.ion, the (.!.ity manc..~er
Gh~)l nrJve "CO~ 501.e disGr~tion i.,.;...;; c:i4CO!Se lr!biGh fu't:lil'I :ote.twl-~~ 1'll.h°'] l
b~ t~rminat.cd and shall ten1inat.g -r;.hat. pa:t"?!O:;<~, If tbl;l :i-:slG'.°!:io:-mhJp
ts .oer:wee:n a Cr.:unciJ Iaiamber and a city empl."lyi?er the o:mployee shall
be te~inat9d,
(c) li tt;io umplo~'ees; ot:h~r tlrnr.: dec;1~ri<'i_t-~~ -~~ploy€!e:t,
witbin the g;;im• d..t'-"i.~i~~~ ("'.".'.?' t.h~ Si'l~e department, if t..."le dt!'pi.!r·i;.m-$!\\:
dn@~ not contbin divlsifJnsl hecoltft mewc!'s of the .saNo inwedi~t~
fuily (throuql'! mari·ia·~e er a<.~::>flti~.m\ .. th~ emnl.oyees shall m:it:lfy
t.'le dir•ct~= of hwnan ras~\lrce~. T.ne hw1mn 1~e!io\:r.ces ~-e:,l-'11.lr::::~r.it
a.hall mak:& a rea&on.5.hlca &tf o:rt t<J tr&n~f'~r ein& f ilmily mCUi1.\J~~ to a
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different division (or department). If au.ch a transfer is not
possible within six monthe of the establishment "Jf the family
relationship, the human resources department shall notify the
employees in writing. Within 30 dayB ot such notification, the two
peraona involved shall choose which person shall leave city
eaployaent. If a choice i• not made ~~thin tnat tiae, the city
manager •hall have sole discretion to choose which family m~mber
shall be termin~ted and shall terminate that person. If ti\G t~o
employees become spouses, the human resources d9partaent shall not
attempt to transfer, and the city managor sil&l l n~t t.&nainat.a, one
of the eaployees unless it is \ie\:~rained th.at. to~ i:n.:t~in~ii;c:
reasons ot supervision, safaty, secarity er ~o~ele, th~ ~~rk ot
such ~ploye.as i~wolves potential co':'lflict6' ot .tntf!n:·~~·t m: ct.b,~r
h&ZllX\lf.i q:."ertt2r for illlrried C0l;pl~¥ th~n tor et.h~.r £.Cr:Sons.
N'otwit.hs.ts.ncH.n.;t thi~ s~t:tion, uo a.~:plo_yE:e5t in t..~~ a~ l~~iata
fa1dly shall t.ts r~quired to ti:·~nat.ar d.'l.'rialone (or d:~fx'l.l"-;~~nt:i) o:r
leave city 4n!plo~'1Nnt fo:!' the i;"dil3BOi\ o! 1'.Jt~i:r. ~:-als.tJ.o~hip if they
were hi~~d ~:orft tJ'?.e dat~ ~!~ ~es~lution w~~ pnss~d.
( d/ ~;.~~Ul~r il~~ part w•t i;i-~ 6&iiJlC·\~q,aro .::Ohl!.'.',! 1..'\-2 g:i::e;n ;:;.
w.ritt~n srtat9.~1$nt. ~f. the rtu!:;sr;:r.,a i~r e.\.mh ·te:nrd~"t.atio~J ~rnj IB.y
appea.i <!t"U:;b act.ion in tb11: manner prov i.dt!:cl in C.he.pr:c;:.::-11.
\-&} FuF puI-p;..Js~::;. ut s~ee~tivzw \l:>i ~~~·l (.::~/ uf ~.!.~
~~;"t.:'..;::;n, 'th\'! datird~i.o~a cowtained in Section :.o:? (d:~ of th~s~ ~':it
SyrJta'i'Sl ~lee ed R~ulat.t~i.1s +~r.o in oaf feet ..
~;fJ.Oti i~ '31'iQ C(;l:J.nc:.i 1 tinds tll.~t tl1.i:i'J i£ nv.t a p.rcj-sd:::
un.a~r th.a e~llfomizi ~vlrc~~iit.al Quality A.ct,. &no, the:::-efo~~ :no
anviz-o-1~;ta-,1 1mp~et ~es~~s~nt. i:z ngcessat"y ..
N<>ES: none