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An ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending Article 1013 of the Administrative Code of Allegheny County, entitled “Political Activity; Accountability, Conduct and Ethics Code,” §5-1013.09(G), entitled “Patronage/Nepotism,” in order to alter the provisions relating to County employment.
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Whereas, the Administrative Code of Allegheny County, §5-1013.09(G) as currently worded establishes an outright prohibition upon the employment of any County official or County officer’s family members by Allegheny County, regardless of a candidate’s qualifications, education, or experience; and
Whereas, it is the judgment of Council that, while well-intentioned, the existing language of §5-1013.09(G) is unnecessarily restrictive, insofar as the goal of the anti-nepotism provision is to forbid preferential treatment in the hiring process or during performance of day-to-day duties, rather than to reflexively rule certain individuals ineligible for County employment based solely upon a single factor (family membership) over which those individuals have no control; and
Whereas, it is further the judgment of Council that the existing language of §5-1013.09(G) functions to the detriment of the County’s residents and taxpayers, to the extent that it prohibits highly qualified individuals with a desire to serve as County employees from having any chance at doing so; and
Whereas, it is further the judgment of Council that the existing language of §5-1013.09(G) also has significant potential to force extremely difficult decisions upon current County employees, for example in situations in which a parent’s position with the County would impede that parent’s child in pursuing his or her career; and
Whereas, the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County, Article IX, §2 expressly requires that the County utilize “a personnel system based on merit principles for all employees of the County.”; and
Whereas, to the end specified by the Charter, the ...
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