It is illegal for federal employees to hire or even advocate for their relatives to work within their agencies. But the government’s anti-nepotism rules have fallen on deaf ears at the Department of Energy (DOE).

The DOE’s inspector general has reported nepotism to be “open and widely accepted” at the agency, where officials were largely unaware of regulations prohibiting such actions.

In one instance, a senior manager pushed for three of his college-age children to be hired for department internships last year.

The unnamed official, who worked in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, contacted 12 colleagues, including a high-ranking human capital official, to encourage the hiring of his three kids.

But the family lobbying paid off—all three of the children got jobs in DOE.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Report: Nepotism ‘Open and Widely Accepted’ at Energy Department (by Josh Hicks, Washington Post)

Senior Energy Official Convinces Colleagues to Hire His Three Children (by Eric Katz, Government Executive)

Alleged Nepotism and Wasteful Spending in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Department of Energy Inspector General)

Justice Department Keeping It All in the Family (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)