As used in this article, 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
nonfair and open process or any person or business working for the
Township whose employment with the Township 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 and construction projects). Employment
with contractors shall be considered for the purpose of this section
as employment with the Township.
DEPARTMENT
Any department within the government structure of the Township
of Maple Shade, 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 Councilmember of the Township
of Maple Shade.
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 of Maple Shade having supervisory
duties and powers over another employee within the Township of Maple
Shade.
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 pick-up programs.
This article shall apply to appointments to all boards, commissions
and committees of the Township of Maple Shade.
A. The prohibitions set forth in these anti-nepotism regulations shall
apply to all contractors, and full-time and regular part-time positions
of the Township of Maple Shade but shall not apply to any temporary
employment.
B. Subject to the exception below, this section and the prohibition
against certain hiring contained herein shall be applied prospectively
only from the effective date of this article and shall not in any
way be construed to prohibit or make unlawful any current employment
relationship or situation or the hiring or promotion of any person
currently employed by the Township of Maple Shade as of the effective
date of this article which may technically be in violation of the
terms hereof but for its prospective application. For purposes of
interpreting this exception, persons appointed to positions of employment
with the Township of Maple Shade for a set term shall be considered
current employees notwithstanding the fact that the then term may
have ended. Such persons holding positions of employment with the
Township of Maple Shade under a set term may be hired to any position
in the Township, rehired, reappointed or promoted, as may be the case,
without violating this article.
The following restrictions shall apply to the hiring and promotion
of employees to employment positions for the Township of Maple Shade:
A. Elected officials. No elected official of the Township of Maple Shade
shall be considered for employment or hired to a position of employment
with the Township of Maple Shade either during his or her term of
office or within four years after the expiration of the term. No elected
official shall serve as Council 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 of Maple Shade shall be considered
for employment as an employee of the Township Maple Shade. This shall
not restrict nor prohibit the continued employment of individuals
to a position with the Township of Maple Shade where a relative of
an employee is elected as a Council member after the date of the employee's
start of employment with the Township of Maple Shade.
C. Promotion of existing employees. Notwithstanding the prospective
applications as to the remainder of this article, 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. 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
of Maple Shade shall be appointed to the position of any Township
of Maple Shade professional appointments who receives compensation,
or any Township of Maple Shade 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 of Maple Shade shall be considered for employment
as an employee of the Township of Maple Shade. This shall not restrict
nor prohibit the continued employment of individuals to a position
with the Township of Maple Shade where a relative of a department
head is hired before the effective date of this article.
This policy is not for the purpose of depriving any citizen
of an equal chance for employment with the Township of Maple Shade
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
article shall not affect the employment of any present Township of
Maple Shade 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.