Dear POOL/PACT Human Resources (HR),

I’m a County department head, and I recently heard through the grapevine that one of my managers (“Turk”) is dating an employee (“Carla”). Carla does not directly report to Turk, but Carla’s supervisor does. When I asked Turk about it, he said the relationship is consensual and “not affecting work.”

I want to respect employees’ personal lives, but I’m also concerned about favoritism and potential liability. Are workplace relationships allowed? And how worried do I really need to be about harassment issues if both employees say the relationship is voluntary?

Signed,

Caught Between Love & Liability

_______________________________________

Dear Caught,

First, you’re right to have concerns. Workplace relationships can be problematic, especially in the public sector.

Whether relationships are allowed depends on your county’s policy. Commonly, public employers allow consensual coworker relationships but prohibit romantic relationships between supervisors/managers and subordinates. In fact, many POOL/PACT members choose to adopt POOL/PACT HR’s sample Employee Dating policy which “prohibit(s) any romantic relationship between a supervisory/managerial employee and a subordinate employee.”

Even though Carla does not report directly to Turk, there is still a chain of command concern. From a risk perspective, indirect supervision can carry many of the same concerns as direct supervision.

For example, while Turk may not complete Carla’s performance evaluation, he can influence the supervisor who does evaluate Carla, as well as affect assignments, discipline decisions, time-off approval, amongst other matters. Those things can create a perceived power imbalance, even without a dotted line on the org chart.

Even when both parties describe a relationship as consensual, other employees may perceive favoritism (as you mentioned), morale and trust can be affected, and if the relationship ends poorly, legal claims such as harassment or retaliation can follow.

So, the best thing to do is check your personnel policy. If it prohibits supervisory/manager-subordinate relationships, action is required. This typically means documenting the relationship and removing any supervisory influence, whether direct or indirect (e.g., evaluations, discipline, promotions) which may require reassignment (e.g., have Carla report to a different supervisor for which Turk does not have authority) or a change in reporting structures (e.g., Turk would no longer have authority over Carla’s supervisor). In addition, disciplinary action may be appropriate, consistent with past practices.

If your policy is silent, this is where HR judgment and risk mitigation come in. The bottom line is ignoring it because “it’s not affecting work” leaves the County exposed.

Signed,

POOL/PACT HR

In today’s public sector, success isn’t just about doing your job well; it’s about continuously becoming better at it. In a world of evolving policy priorities, shifting workforce demographics, digital transformation, and new expectations of public service delivery, one of the biggest risks we face isn’t a lack of competence. It is the gradual comfort that comes from relying on what has worked in the past.

The idea that a strong performer can slowly stagnate isn’t new. But in an era where skill requirements change faster than job descriptions, staying “good enough” quietly erodes relevance.

Public-sector HR professionals know better than most that change isn’t occasional, it’s constant. Emerging legislative frameworks, technological expectations, new service delivery models, and social accountability require HR teams to be adaptable and continually learning. Developing leaders and embedding continuous learning into culture are not optional; they’re essential to success.

But learning isn’t just attending a workshop or completing mandatory compliance training. It’s about:

• Re-examining assumptions about how work gets done.
• Refreshing foundational skills to match evolving public needs.
• Building new capabilities that enhance service delivery.
• Staying curious enough to ask, “What’s next?”

When learning becomes optional, irrelevance becomes inevitable.

When individuals and organizations stop learning, they don’t just stagnate; they lose relevance, reduce effectiveness, and risk falling behind the very citizens they serve. In contrast, organizations that embed continuous learning into their culture become more agile, confident, and equipped to meet tomorrow’s challenges.

POOL/PACT HR Training Opportunities

As a member of POOL/PACT, you and your staff have many training opportunities, including:

• Human Resources Representative Certificate Program: a five-day program to help build foundations for public-sector HR excellence
• Advanced Human Resources Representative Certificate Program: a two-day program designed to apply skills learned in the original prerequisite program
• Quarterly HR Briefing Webinars: one-hour sessions to help stay current hot HR topics

For more information on these and other training courses, registered users can view our HR training catalog in the Resource Library at www.poolpact.com or reach out to their designated HR Business Partner. In addition, POOL/PACT also offers educational grants to support attendance at HR and other conferences to help with risk mitigation. Education grant information is also available on the website.

In public service, steady isn’t enough! Relevance, resilience, and growth depend on a commitment to continuous learning.

Public-sector HR professionals continue to navigate recruitment challenges, evolving compliance requirements, and increasing expectations for transparency, all while working within limited time and resources. As employers plan for the upcoming fiscal year, this is a valuable opportunity to evaluate whether current systems and processes are effectively supporting operational goals.

Modernize Recruitment and Hiring

Equitable, defensible hiring practices are essential. Modern applicant tracking systems can help standardize workflows, reduce manual processes, and improve documentation. Members who utilize these systems report:

• More efficient hiring timelines.
• Consistent and well-documented selection processes.
• Improved onboarding transitions.
• Clearer visibility into position tracking and workforce planning.

These tools enhance transparency and consistency, while strengthening compliance and candidate experience.

Improve HR Operations Through Integration

Disconnected systems can create duplicate work, reporting inconsistencies, and unnecessary administrative burdens. Integrated HRIS Systems platforms unify payroll, timekeeping, recruiting, benefits, and performance tools together into a single centralized system.

POOL/PACT members utilizing integrated platforms benefit from:

• Employee self-service tools.
• Payroll verification safeguards.
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• Real-time workforce reporting.

Alignment reduces administrative burden and allows HR teams to focus on strategic priorities.

Strengthen Leave Management and Compliance

Leave administration, especially FMLA, remains one of the more complex and risk-sensitive areas of HR. Manual tracking can create challenges with eligibility determinations, leave tracking, required notices, and documentation timelines.

Automated leave-management platforms can help:

• Calculate eligibility and tracking leave balances,
• Issue required notices within established timelines,
• Maintain centralized, audit-ready documentation, and
• Monitor leave trends and compliance metrics.

Automation improves consistency, reduces errors, and strengthens audit readiness.

Future Focus

As workforce demands evolve, employers should consider whether their systems reduce manual work and duplication, provide meaningful workforce insights, and support long-term scalability.

Your POOL/PACT HR Business Partner is available to discuss these considerations and share insights from other member organizations.