The Institute, like other employers, has adopted guidelines designed to ensure that personal relationships do not lead to real or perceived conflicts of interest or favoritism. Personal relationships include, but are not limited to, immediate family members, domestic partners, and members of the same household. Employees who share a personal relationship may work at the Institute, even in the same department, as long as one employee does not have the ability to influence or control the other’s terms and conditions of employment. Terms and conditions of employment include, but are not limited to, hiring, promotions, retention, job classification, salary, performance appraisals, work assignments, and leaves of absence.

Although the Institute does not attempt to prohibit romantic or sexual relationships between Institute community members, such relationships are not encouraged, and it is strongly suggested that the potential impact of such relationships on the work environment be considered carefully. Such relationships can readily create a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict, and/or lead to charges of harassment or discrimination that expose both the Institute and the persons involved to legal proceedings. If any such charges are filed, the Institute is obligated to investigate them in accordance with its Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedure.

If a personal relationship exists or develops between a supervisor and someone s/he supervises, certain more stringent safeguards, described below, need to be followed. These steps are necessary because a conflict of interest, or the perception of a conflict of interest, may be created when a supervisor directly or indirectly affects employment-related decisions -- e.g., evaluates performance or determines the compensation of an employee with whom s/he has or has had a personal relationship. Employees concerned about the impact of the personal relationship of co-workers on their own work environment are encouraged to speak with their supervisor or with the Manager of Human Resources.

Any supervisor who has or has had a personal relationship with an employee who reports to him/her must discuss the issue with the Associate Director and Treasurer or the Manager of Human Resources. The discussion will be kept confidential, within the larger need to deal with the situation appropriately. The goal of the Associate Director or the Manager of Human Resources is to help resolve any problems as fairly and discreetly as possible.

If a personal relationship has led to a conflict of interest, favoritism, harassment, or other negative impact on the Institute community, the following options will be considered and may be taken, depending on the circumstances of the case:

• The supervisor may be removed from any evaluative role in employment decisions that affect the employee.
• The supervisor may be subjected to corrective action if s/he does not bring the relationship to the attention of the Associate Director and Treasurer or the Manager of Human Resources.
• The supervised employee may be transferred or other appropriate action may be taken.

This policy prevails at all levels of supervision. For clarification or additional information about this policy, contact the Manager of Human Resources. All conversations will be held in confidence to the extent possible.