Consensual Relationships

Scope

This policy applies to all Staff and Temporary employees.

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Policy Statement

1. Supervisors who are in a consensual relationship must disclose the relationship.
2. Supervisors are prohibited from evaluating and from making hiring, promotion, transfer and similar decisions affecting the employee in the relationship.
3. This policy requires at a minimum, that appropriate arrangements be made for objective decision making.

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Reason for Policy

1. The university's mission is promoted by professionalism in all relationships between supervisors and employees. IU recognizes the potential for a conflict of interest when a consensual romantic and/or sexual relationship occurs between a supervisor and his or her employee.
2. Such relationships can interfere with a supervisor's ability to evaluate an employee or may at least give rise to the perception that the supervisor's evaluation is biased. In addition, those who engage in such relationships should be cautioned that questions may later arise regarding whether the relationship was consensual.

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Procedures

Disclosure

1. When a consensual relationship exists between a supervisor and his or her employee, the supervisor has the responsibility to disclose the relationship to his or her supervisor. The employee may disclose the relationship to the supervisor's supervisor.
2. Arrangements will be made to eliminate or mitigate a conflict whose consequences might prove detrimental to the university.

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Definitions

For the purpose of this policy, a consensual relationship is a mutually acceptable, romantic and/or sexual relationship between an employee with supervisory, evaluative, or advisory authority and an employee who is directly supervised, evaluated, or advised by that employee.

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Sanctions

Managers, supervisors, and employees who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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History

March 2016: This policy has become a part of the new Nepotism policy.

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