A new audit into employment practices concludes that Hawaii County’s employment policies don’t go far enough to prevent favoritism in hiring. County Auditor Tyler Benner’s report to the Hawaii County Council found that the hiring rules are too sparse to ensure fair hiring processes are followed, leaving the county open to hiring that include conflicts of interest.

The audit was spurred by a whistleblower’s charge that nepotism had taken preference over fair hiring practices in one department — but flawed hiring rules could also tarnish other departmental hires. Especially troubling: allowing candidates to “field test” in a job before being interviewed, and a failure to prohibit awarding contracts that benefit family members. Benner recommended revising processes to align with the state’s.