Other Potential Conflicts of Interest

 Employment of Relatives and Household Members

While we may not always use the term “nepotism,” that’s essentially what UF’s Employment of Relatives regulation and policy address.

UF is committed to ensuring employment and advancement are based solely on individual qualifications and merit, without considering familial relationships. However, having relatives or significant others working in the same area can sometimes lead to uncomfortable situations or perceived conflicts of interest. To prevent these issues, we have a process in place to manage such scenarios.

To comply with our policies, employees must complete the Employment of Relatives Approval Form if they are seeking to hire or work with a relative or household member. This form requires all necessary signatures before submission, along with any supporting documents. Check with your college or departmental HR office to see if additional steps are needed according to departmental guidelines. The form must be submitted through the designated portal.

The Employment of Relatives regulation outlines the prohibition of hiring relatives or individuals living in the same household into positions where a direct or indirect supervisory relationship could exist or where a conflict of interest might arise. This includes areas such as appointments, compensation, work assignments, evaluations, grants administration and financial transactions. For more details, visit the UFHR webpage on Hiring Policies and navigate to the Employment of Relatives section.

If you ever feel that the work environment is being negatively impacted by relatives working together or reporting to one another, please report this to your supervisor or UFHR. We want to ensure a positive and professional work environment for everyone. For more information, see the Reporting Misconduct section.

 Employee Relationships

UF prohibits romantic or sexual relationships between employees and individuals with less power or authority (such as subordinates or students). Such relationships can create conflicts of interest and lead to uncomfortable work environments.

 Gifts

Florida law prohibits UF employees from soliciting or accepting anything of value, including gifts, loans, rewards, promises of future employment, favors, or services, if it could influence the employee’s vote, official action, or judgment (Sec. 112.313(2) of the Florida Statutes).

Accepting gifts from contractors, vendors or community members can create a perception of favoritism. It’s important to maintain integrity and transparency in all UF operations.

However, gifts made to UF Advancement are an exception and are considered acceptable as they are charitable contributions. If a UF vendor, contractor or customer offers you a gift, politely decline and direct them to UF Advancement.