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Merit System

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Submitted By sherellstar
Words 7141
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The merit system is the process of promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political connections. Federally, it was instituted by the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. It is the opposite of the Spoils system

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|An example is hiring or promoting relatives solely because they are family members, with no consideration of the qualifications |
|or merit of other job candidates or employees. |
|Nepotism in the Workplace |
|Workplace nepotism is not unusual, especially at smaller companies and non-profits in the private sector. |
|The obvious reason aside, it's not unusual likely because there is no universal "nepotism law" at the Federal level that |
|prohibits it in all states. Several state legislatures and city councils have passed nepotism laws (or anti-nepotism laws, as |
|they're sometimes called), but typically only in regard to public-sector employment. |
|However, the consequences of nepotism might constitute illegal employment discrimination under Federal discrimination laws or |
|state equivalents, in either the private or public sector. |
|For example, it might constitute illegal discrimination on the basis of race or sex, if an employer consistently hires relatives|
|of a particular race or gender to the

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