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Can Nepotism in the workplace be illegal?

Bobobelle

We have a serious case of Nepotism going on in our HSE funded workplace. It's beyond a joke and we feel powerless to do anything about it. It was already mentioned several times to area manager. Who can we turn to? Anybody any ideas?

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[Deleted User]

Bobobelle wrote: »

We have a serious case of Nepotism going on in our HSE funded workplace. It's beyond a joke and we feel powerless to do anything about it. It was already mentioned several times to area manager. Who can we turn to? Anybody any ideas?

Although arguably a form of discrimination, nepotism isn’t illegal. You need to be careful, you can appear to be jealous because you were passed over.

You could contact Nera, but it could be a career killer if your allegations are determined to be unfounded.

Strumms

What are the details of the nepotism, was it a person winning promotion who was clearly not the best candidate ? Or more systemic and ongoing favourtisim?

Either way the best way to approach is with evidence, keep a journal if needed with examples of the daily and ongoing favourtisim.

Atlantic Dawn

In state run organisations it needs to be exposed but then you look at RTE and they do it openly, give ex staffers kids jobs where they have zero experience and zero advertisements for the role have taken place. Yet people not paying the TV licence to support this corruption have actually gone to jail, makes North Korea look like a paradise.

OMM 0000

Strumms wrote: »

was clearly not the best candidate

Does the best candidate even need to get the job? I'm not sure.

I often see people getting promoted because the manager simply likes them, or the manager likes to promote people he can control, etc.

I think it is very difficult to prove nepotism without some solid evidence like an e-mail saying "you only got the job because you're my cousin".

Bobobelle

Strumms wrote: »

What are the details of the nepotism, was it a person winning promotion who was clearly not the best candidate ? Or more systemic and ongoing favourtisim?

Either way the best way to approach is with evidence, keep a journal if needed with examples of the daily and ongoing favourtisim.

The bosses niece picks her shifts, boasts about being the bosses niece, doesn't actually do any work and spends her time in work plotting and scheming to have everybody else running around doing the job she should be doing. We are in a care sector and it's affecting the team and the Service Users in a bad way.

OMM 0000

Bobobelle wrote: »

The bosses niece picks her shifts

This seems odd, but the rest have nothing to do with nepotism.

There are lazy, aggressive, political folk everywhere regardless of nepotism.

Jim2007

Bobobelle wrote: »

We have a serious case of Nepotism going on in our HSE funded workplace.

What do you mean by a HSE funded workplace. A family company that receives a grant or what.

Bobobelle

OMM 0000 wrote: »

This seems odd, but the rest have nothing to do with nepotism.

There are lazy, aggressive, political folk everywhere regardless of nepotism.

That's very true, however, other people get a slap on the wrist

Bobobelle

Jim2007 wrote: »

What do you mean by a HSE funded workplace. A family company that receives a grant or what.

No. A national health organisation funded by the HSE.

Strumms

Bobobelle wrote: »

The bosses niece picks her shifts, boasts about being the bosses niece, doesn't actually do any work and spends her time in work plotting and scheming to have everybody else running around doing the job she should be doing. We are in a care sector and it's affecting the team and the Service Users in a bad way.

You need to gang up on her. If there was a gang of you prepared to get together and speak to management and or work to rule then their hands would be forced. Needs be a team effort.

LimeFruitGum

Track and document each incident, and the impact of it to you/team/end customer. Keep it factual and neutral.
Don’t let the fact that she is related to the boss cloud it, and treat it like any other performance issue.

Twenty Grand

If nepotism was illegal, then every "& Sons" business would be illegal.

Nepotism can be extremely effective in some circumstances.

Strumms

Twenty Grand wrote: »

If nepotism was illegal, then every "& Sons" business would be illegal.

Nepotism can be extremely effective in some circumstances.

No it wouldn’t... AND SONS... is not a business where a father and or mother hire a member of their offspring it is a situation where THE SON is a part owner in the business. I can go into business with my relative on the back of a good idea...hiring another relative into the formed company on the basis of them ‘needing a job’ and you know they won’t be ‘trouble’ would be I think, nepotism.

[Deleted User]

Strumms wrote: »

No it wouldn’t... AND SONS... is not a business where a father and or mother hire a member of their offspring it is a situation where THE SON is a part owner in the business. I can go into business with my relative on the back of a good idea...hiring another relative into the formed company on the basis of them ‘needing a job’ and you know they won’t be ‘trouble’ would be I think, nepotism.

Not sure where you are getting this from. The sons do not have to be partners to have “& Sons” on the business listing. The business often passes to the Sons when parent retires/passes away.

whatnext

Strumms wrote: »

No it wouldn’t... AND SONS... is not a business where a father and or mother hire a member of their offspring it is a situation where THE SON is a part owner in the business. I can go into business with my relative on the back of a good idea...hiring another relative into the formed company on the basis of them ‘needing a job’ and you know they won’t be ‘trouble’ would be I think, nepotism.

I have a company, I employ my mother to do bits and pieces for the simple reason that I can. One of my clients is a government agency, one could argue that I am State funded to an extent. Are you suggesting what I am doing is illegal. I only employ people I know, trust and like. I have never advertised a position in my firm and probably never will.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Twenty Grand wrote: »

If nepotism was illegal, then every "& Sons" business would be illegal.

Nepotism can be extremely effective in some circumstances.

The op is really talking about nepotism in the public sector, or taxpayer funded sector.

I don’t get why that isn’t illegal given these organisations are supposed to have rigorous interview and performance standards.

Franz Von Peppercorn

whatnext wrote: »

I have a company, I employ my mother to do bits and pieces for the simple reason that I can. One of my clients is a government agency, one could argue that I am State funded to an extent. Are you suggesting what I am doing is illegal. I only employ people I know, trust and like. I have never advertised a position in my firm and probably never will.

I get the impression that the op’s workplace is fully funded.

Hoboo

Check out Beumonts head of recruitment. 3 years in 4 different recruitment agency jobs (6 months in any agency recruitment role screams failure), no formal third level education, no healthcare or hospital recruitment experience, late 20's, yet head of recruitment? Ridiculous. (All on LinkedIn)

[Deleted User]

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

The op is really talking about nepotism in the public sector, or taxpayer funded sector.

I don’t get why that isn’t illegal given these organisations are supposed to have rigorous interview and performance standards.

Franz, it isn’t illegal, simply because it isn’t illegal, no matter who funds it, which part do you not get?

Franz Von Peppercorn

Dav010 wrote: »

Franz, it isn’t illegal, simply because it isn’t illegal, no matter who funds it, which part do you not get?

I didn’t say it was illegal. I said I didn’t get why it isn’t illegal, if it isn’t. A fully state funded charity should be subject to the same recruitment restrictions as the state sector.

whatnext

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

The op is really talking about nepotism in the public sector, or taxpayer funded sector.

I don’t get why that isn’t illegal given these organisations are supposed to have rigorous interview and performance standards.

I get the impression the OP has deliberately not used the words Public Sector leading me to believe its some sort of NGO charity set up.
Ironically I suspect these type of bodies have stricter / tighter ethics or governance after the Recent scandals.

Mrs OBumble

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

A fully state funded charity should be subject to the same recruitment restrictions as the state sector.

Should be.

But currently they aren't. If you think this is wrong, speak to your TD

ZeroThreat

Bobobelle wrote: »

The bosses niece picks her shifts, boasts about being the bosses niece, doesn't actually do any work and spends her time in work plotting and scheming to have everybody else running around doing the job she should be doing. We are in a care sector and it's affecting the team and the Service Users in a bad way.

Have to say this sounds depressingly familiar to me, but I work in the private sector where this is more the rule than the exception, especially in SME area.
This sort of thing should be clamped down on in the taxpayer funded public sector however.

Berserker

Bobobelle wrote: »

The bosses niece picks her shifts.

Might be the case that she has some ongoing issue, which has been discussed with management and she needs to have a degree of flexibility with the shifts she works.

Hoboo wrote: »

Check out Beumonts head of recruitment. 3 years in 4 different recruitment agency jobs (6 months in any agency recruitment role screams failure), no formal third level education, no healthcare or hospital recruitment experience, late 20's, yet head of recruitment? Ridiculous. (All on LinkedIn)

Never worked in the RA sector myself but it wouldn't be unusual for an individual to last six months and move on themselves. That is their decision and it certainly does not constitute failure on their part. I've dealt with agencies on a daily basis in past roles and the turnover of staff was crazy. Also, the skills required to be a head of recruitment are not the same as working as a recruitment agent.

Hoboo

Berserker wrote: »

Might be the case that she has some ongoing issue, which has been discussed with management and she needs to have a degree of flexibility with the shifts she works.

Never worked in the RA sector myself but it wouldn't be unusual for an individual to last six months and move on themselves. That is their decision and it certainly does not constitute failure on their part. I've dealt with agencies on a daily basis in past roles and the turnover of staff was crazy. Also, the skills required to be a head of recruitment are not the same as working as a recruitment agent.

I've been OPs Manager and Director of two recruitment agencies and to get a strong pipeline going takes 3 months. You don't leave after 6 if the money is flowing. It's a high turnover industry due to failure, most who enter aren't cut out for it. They aren't experts in their sector and they certainly can not be called consultants. Everyone I know who did well didn't leave for 2 years minimum.

The skills to work as head of recruitment (another role I've held for a multinational in Dublin before HR strategy) require the experience and skills of someone who has been successful in recruitment, at a junior and senior level, has leadership and business acumen, and has an appropriate education to be capable of meeting the necessary demands such as strategy and employment law to name but many.

The person I spoke of has none of the above. I met him. I wouldn't hire him in an agency nevermind head of recruitment for one of our top hospitals.

Lux23

You know he can most likely identify himself from your description.

stargazer 68

Lux23 wrote: »

You know he can most likely identify himself from your description.

Doesn't work there anymore now

ZeroThreat

Dovies wrote: »

Doesn't work there anymore now

I doubt most of the general population is a regular reader of this particular subforum either....