California Department of Tax and Fee Administration Releases New Anti-Nepotism Policy

Sacramento – The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) today released its new anti-nepotism policy, requiring all current and prospective agency employees to disclose any personal relationships they may have with other CDTFA employees. The policy also prohibits an individual from supervising anyone with whom they have a personal relationship. Employees who violate the policy can be disciplined with punishment up to termination depending on the severity of the offense.

"We need to ensure that all of our personnel decisions are based solely on merit," said CDTFA Director Nicolas Maduros. "Not only is that the law, it’s also essential to making CDTFA the best tax agency in the country and the best place to work in state government."

The policy defines nepotism as "any relationship so personal that other CDTFA employees may reasonably perceive that one of the employees may be motivated to treat the other one more favorably than other employees. That includes, but is not limited to, any familial relationship established by blood, adoption, marriage, or registered domestic partnership."

The policy also states that nepotism may include two employees "within the same chain of command (although not direct) or within the same division or office," and employees may not attempt to exert any influence over personnel matters involving hiring, promotion, discipline, performance reviews and any other personnel action.