Report 2017-104 Recommendation 15 Responses
Report 2017-104: Montebello Unified School District: County Superintendent Intervention Is Necessary to Address Its Weak Financial Management and Governance (Release Date: November 2017)
Recommendation #15 To: Montebello Unified School District
To ensure that Montebello is making hiring decisions free of bias or favoritism, within 90 days it should strengthen its hiring policies related to nepotism and conflicts of interest for classified and certificated personnel to include the following: establishing restrictions on immediate family members being involved in the screening and interviewing processes and definitions of what types of personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy, which work relationships the nepotism policy applies to, and what factors to consider when evaluating the potential impact of a personal relationship.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2023
The Montebello Unified School District has an existing Board Policy regarding the Employment of Relatives, which was revised on April 19, 2018, per the recommendations of the state auditors, that it closely adheres to, in all recruitment and selection processes. The Interviewer's Responsibility for Confidentiality and Disclosures regarding Board Policy 4112.8, 4212.8, 4312.8 form has been updated for panel members to attest any potential conflicts of interest with candidates and or panel members and to ensure confidentiality in the interview process. The updated policy provides:
The Governing Board desires to maximize staff and community confidence in district hiring, promotion, and other employment decisions by promoting practices that are free of conflicts of interest or the appearance of impropriety. The Board prohibits the appointment of any person to a position for which his/her relative or cohabitant maintains management, supervisory, evaluation, or promotion responsibilities and prohibits an employee from participating in any decision that singularly applies to any of his/her relatives. This includes relatives of the Governing Board Members, Executive Cabinet, Directors, Assistant Directors, Principals, Assistant Principals, managers, and supervisors. This Board Policy also defines what types of relationships fall under nepotism and conflict of interest and how to address any violations in a timely way.
Furthermore, to address this portion of the recommendation, all Human Resources technical personnel have been trained to recognize and address any nepotism or conflicts of interest in the recruitment and hiring process.
- Completion Date: January 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Montello's updated policy applies to relatives, spouses, and domestic partners. However, Montebello did not include in its updated policy the definitions of what types of other personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy, which work relationships the nepotism policy applies to, and what factors to consider when evaluating the potential impact of a personal relationship.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021
MUSD has a policy that was revised and approved by the Board for employment of relatives, which addresses nepotism, conflicts of interest and personal relationships.
- Completion Date: July 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello did not provide evidence to show it revised its hiring policies related to nepotism to establish restrictions on immediate family members being involved in the screening and interviewing processes, and definitions of what types of personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020
MUSD has a policy that was revised and approved by the Board for employment of relatives, which addresses nepotism, conflicts of interest and personal relationships.
- Completion Date: July 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello did not provide evidence to show it revised its hiring policies related to nepotism to establish restrictions on immediate family members being involved in the screening and interviewing processes, and definitions of what types of personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019
MUSD has a policy that was revised and approved by the Board for employment of relatives, which addresses nepotism, conflicts of interest, and personal relationships.
- Completion Date: July 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello did not provide evidence to show it revised its hiring policies related to nepotism to establish restrictions on immediate family members being involved in the screening and interviewing processes, and definitions of what types of personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
1-Year Agency Response
MUSD has a Board revised and approved policy for employment of relatives, which addresses nepotism and conflicts of interest.
- Estimated Completion Date: 01/31/2019
- Response Date: November 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending
Montello's updated policy applies to relatives, spouses, and domestic partners. However, Montebello did not include in its updated policy the definitions of what types of other personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy, which work relationships the nepotism policy applies to, and what factors to consider when evaluating the potential impact of a personal relationship.
6-Month Agency Response
MUSD has a Board revised Board approved policy for employment of relatives, which addresses nepotism and conflicts of interest.
- Completion Date: May 2018
- Response Date: May 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Montello's updated policy applies to relatives, spouses, and domestic partners. However, Montebello did not include in its updated policy the definitions of what types of other personal relationships fall under the nepotism policy, which work relationships the nepotism policy applies to, and what factors to consider when evaluating the potential impact of a personal relationship.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
60-Day Agency Response
MUSD will continue working on strengthening its hiring policies to ensure that its employment decisions are free of bias, favoritism, nepotism, and/or conflict of interest for classified and certificated personnel.
- Estimated Completion Date: 2/22/2018
- Response Date: December 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2017-104
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.