Overview and Definition

FIU is a vibrant, student-centered public research university with a  diverse faculty and staff. We strive to hire top notch employees to serve  and support our students, which means on occasion, a family member or any other related individual may be considered for a position at the university.

Relationship to another employee of the university shall not constitute a bar to hiring or internal movement (promotions, demotions, laterals, reclassifications) as long as an employee will not be under the direct or indirect supervision of a related individual.

A new hire must disclose any relationship(s) during the application and interview process.  The already existing employee should also disclose the relationship to their supervisor upon learning that their family member or any other individual is going to be hired by the university regardless as to whether or not the hire is in the same department or elsewhere.

The intent of reviewing hiring decisions is to ensure that no preferential treatment will be afforded to individuals based on relationships that may place undue or inappropriate influence on terms and conditions of employment as a result of the hire.  It is important to note that FIU has an expanded definition of a relationship as outlined in the Nepotism/Intimate Relationship Disclosure Policy which is as follows:

“Relationship” is defined as individuals related by blood, marriage, adoption [e.g., 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, Florida Statute Section 112.3135(1)(d)]; a person a public employee intends to marry, or with whom the public employee intends to form a household, or any other natural person having the same legal residence as the public employee, Florida Statute Section 112.312, Code of Ethics; domestic partnership, dating, or other personal relationship in which objectivity might be impaired.

Individuals should not be employed in a department or unit which will result in a subordinate-supervisor relationship between such individuals and any related individual as defined above through any “line of authority.”  “Line of authority” is defined as authority extending vertically through one or more organizational levels of supervision or management.

The university retains the right to refuse to appoint a person to a position in the same department, division, or facility, whereby their relationship to another employee can create an adverse impact on supervision, safety, security, morale, or involves a potential conflict of interest.

“Intimate Relationship” is defined as any relationship that may reasonably be described as including, but not limited to, sexual, romantic, amorous, and/or dating or the pursuit thereof. Physical contact is not a required element of such relationships. An Intimate Relationship may exist on the basis of a single interaction.

The Intimate Relationship regulation works in conjunction with the University’s Nepotism Policy 1710.205 and Nepotism in Research Policy and Procedure 2320.060, to further Florida International University’s commitment to maintaining an educational and workplace environment that is inclusive and free from abuse of authority, conflict of interest, coercion, sexual harassment, and favoritism.

For more information, please refer to the Nepotism Policy via the university’s Policies and Procedures Library – policies.fiu.edu.

For more information on the Intimate Relationship Regulation, please refer to the Intimate Relationship Policy.