As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
CONTRACTORS
Contractors, independent contractors, subcontractors, vendors,
professionals appointed pursuant to the fair and open process or the
non-fair and open process, or a person, persons or business working
for the Township whose employment is limited in scope or duration
to a specific project with the Township and subject to either a bid
proposal or a solicitation of quotes. (Examples include, but are not
limited to, road projects, construction projects and other projects.)
Employment with contractors shall be considered, for the purpose of
this chapter, as employment with the Township.
DEPARTMENT
Any department within the government structure of the Township
of Hampton, whether existing pursuant to the Township Code or pursuant
to the laws of the State of New Jersey.
ELECTED OFFICIAL
Any person holding the position of member of the Township
Committee.
RELATIVE
Spouse or significant other, child, parent, stepchild, sibling,
grandparent, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchild, niece, nephew,
uncle, aunt or any other person related by blood or marriage.
SUPERVISOR
Any employee of the Township having supervisory duties and
powers over another employee within the Township.
TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT
Any employment (or employee thereunder) which is not full-time
or regular part-time, and shall include, without limitation, seasonal
employees, including, but not limited to, seasonal employees affiliated
with Township recreation and leaf pickup programs.
The following restrictions shall apply to the hiring and promotion
of employees to employment positions for the Township:
A. Elected officials. No elected official of the Township shall be considered
for employment or hired to a position of employment with the Township
either during his or her term of office or within 181 days after the
expiration of the term. No elected official shall serve as Committee
liaison to any department that employs any relative of that elected
official.
B. Relative of elected officials. No person who is a relative of any
elected official of the Township shall be considered for employment
as an employee of the Township. This shall not restrict nor prohibit
the continued employment of individuals in a position with the Township
where a relative of an employee is elected as a Committee member after
the date of the employee's start of employment with the Township.
C. Promotion of existing employees. Notwithstanding the prospective
application as to the remainder of this chapter as applied above,
no elected official may participate in the promotion process or hiring
process in the department of any existing employee who is a relative
of the elected official as the case may be. The elected official shall
abstain from participation in such personnel action as it applies
to such relative.
D. Appointments. No relative of an elected official of the Township
shall be appointed to the position of any Township professional who
receives compensation, or any Township board or commission which has
more than an advisory role and/or one in which the members receive
compensation.
E. Department heads. No person who is a relative of any department head
of the Township shall be considered for employment as an employee
of the Township. This shall not restrict nor prohibit the continued
employment of individuals in a position with the Township where a
relative of a department head is hired before the effective date of
this chapter.
This policy is not for the purpose of depriving any citizen
of an equal chance for employment with the Township but is solely
intended to eliminate the potential for preferential treatment of
the relatives of the members of the governing body and/or any department
head.
Except as may be otherwise expressly provided for herein, this
chapter shall not affect the employment of any present Township employee,
nor shall it be construed or enforced in such manner as to violate,
abridge or impair any rights of individuals employed or affiliated
with the Township under any collective bargaining agreement, employment
contract, or any state or federal law protecting the employment rights
of any such individuals. If, however, an employee of the Township
becomes an elected official of the Township following the adoption
of this chapter, the employee must either resign his/her employment
with the Township or resign from the office to which he/she was elected.