Spousal and Partner Accommodation Information
The University of Montana recognizes that many highly qualified candidates have talented spouses or partners who also seek employment. Where possible, the University works to find appropriate employment opportunities for both members of a couple, within the constraints of fair hiring policies, collective bargaining agreements, and available funding. This page explains how the accommodation process works and what candidates and hiring administrators can expect.
Who This Applies To
Faculty | Staff | Contracts
This page applies to candidates being recruited for University positions whose spouse or partner is also seeking University employment, and to the hiring administrators managing those searches.
Important: What This Process Can and Cannot Do
The University has a strong record of good-faith efforts to find appropriate employment for qualified spouses and partners, and these efforts have resulted in the hiring of some of UM's strongest employees. However, there are important limits:
- The University cannot guarantee placement independent of the partner's qualifications, employability, or the availability of a role consistent with institutional needs
- Positions are allocated based on demonstrated need and available funding
- The hiring department or unit of the spouse or partner has the authority to decide whether to recommend acceptance of a candidate
- The University does not maintain a pool of uncommitted funding reserved for spousal accommodation salaries
- A spouse or partner may not supervise or evaluate the other in any way, directly or indirectly
Process
-
It is inappropriate and illegal to ask candidates about their marital status or domestic arrangements during a hiring process. Candidates are under no obligation to raise spousal or partner employment issues before or after receiving a job offer. However, to pursue an accommodation, the candidate must raise the issue voluntarily at some point in the process. The candidate should discuss the matter with the responsible administrator when they feel comfortable doing so.
-
Once a request is raised, the responsible administrator reviews potential opportunities with the Provost (for academic positions) or the appropriate department (for non-academic positions). The type of opportunities available depends on the nature of employment sought and the needs of the relevant division.
Possible arrangements may include:
- Temporary positions that may lead to permanent appointment
- Splitting one full-time position into two part-time positions
- Tenure-track or extended-term-track positions if a suitable vacancy exists
-
If an opportunity is identified and agreed upon, the responsible administrator submits a request for the position. For academic positions, the Provost facilitates the approval process. For non-academic positions, the responsible administrator contacts the Associate Vice President of Human Resource Services.
-
The hiring administrator submits the accommodation request for review under the University's conflict of interest policies. All employees hired through this process are subject to these policies as well as all other applicable University personnel and employment policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
No. It is inappropriate and illegal to ask candidates about their marital status or domestic arrangements. The candidate must raise the issue voluntarily. Hiring decisions may not be predicated on whether a candidate has a spouse or partner seeking employment.
-
The University generally fills positions through competitive searches. The spousal accommodation process provides a mechanism for making an exception when circumstances warrant, but this exception requires approval and compliance review. The partner's qualifications and the institutional need for the role remain relevant factors.
-
Opportunities depend on the needs of the relevant division and the decisions of the responsible Vice President. The process will differ depending on whether the partner seeks academic or non-academic employment. The responsible administrator will work with the appropriate parties to explore what may be available.
-
No. When accommodations are made under this policy, a spouse or partner may not supervise or evaluate the other in any way, either directly or indirectly.
Contact this Team
For questions, please submit a ticket through AskHR, email askhr@umontana.edu, or call 406-243-6760.