Behind the Law That May Keep Donald Trump’s Children From White House Jobs

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is all in the family. Three of his children — Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka — are involved in the transition, though the President-elect denied reports that his team requested “top-level” security clearance for them and his son-in-law, former New York Observer publisher Jared Kushner. When Kushner was spotted taking a walk with President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on Thursday—the same day that Trump and Obama met for the first time—the sighting quickly led to rumors that Kushner wants a job in the White House. According to the Wall Street Journal, he is talking to lawyers about possible roles and has reportedly expressed a willingness to stop receiving income from his own real estate company if it proves to be a conflict of interest.

But at least one federal law limits the types of jobs that Trump could give to his children and even Kushner, who all count as relatives under The Federal Anti-Nepotism Statute. According to that law, “A public official may not appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a civilian position in the agency in which he is serving or over which he exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the public official.”

Violators are “not entitled to pay.”