Equality and Human Rights Commission

Some organisations have a policy of not hiring employees who have a relationship with someone who works for the same company. The term 'relationship' includes the following:

• A spouse or civil partner
• A family tie
• A personal relationship

Employers may be intolerant of close relationships within the organisation for a variety of reasons that may have nothing to do with sex discrimination. It could be because of:

• The nature of the business itself, or
• Out of concern that close relationships may compromise or embarrass them with clients
• Could detract from the quality of the decision making, or
• Could encourage unprofessional behaviour between staff and managers, or
• Make the disciplinary process more difficult, or
• Could undermine the business in favour of a rival firm.

Professional associations with a 'no personal relationships' policy may refuse an application for membership. Employers may refuse to recruit someone because of the policy, or they may use the disciplinary procedures against an employee who begins a personal relationship. This can sometimes involve dismissal.

Sex discrimination can arise if in doing any of these things, the employer or professional association treats someone less favourably than a person of the opposite sex would have been treated.