The Employee Relations Law Journal (Empl. Relat. Law J.) is committed to transparency and editorial independence. The journal recognizes that financial and non-financial relationships or activities may create actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence scholarly work or undermine confidence in the publication process.

This policy follows relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). ICMJE emphasizes that transparent disclosure is important not only for actual conflicts but also for relationships or activities that may reasonably be perceived as influencing a manuscript or editorial decision.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest may arise when an individual's personal, professional, financial, academic, institutional, or other interests could influence—or could reasonably be perceived to influence—their judgment concerning a manuscript, research project, peer-review process, or editorial decision.

Conflicts may be financial or non-financial and may include relationships with organizations, institutions, individuals, sponsors, or other parties connected with the subject of the manuscript.

Authors' Responsibilities

All authors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission.

Disclosures may include, where relevant:

• Employment or consultancy relationships
• Grants, research funding, or other financial support
• Honoraria or paid advisory roles
• Patents or intellectual property interests
• Financial investments or ownership interests
• Paid expert testimony
• Professional or institutional relationships
• Personal relationships that could influence the work
• Academic competition or rivalry
• Other financial or non-financial interests that may reasonably be perceived as relevant

Authors should provide complete and accurate disclosure information. Failure to disclose a relevant relationship or activity may be considered a breach of publication ethics.

Funding and Sponsor Disclosure

Authors must clearly identify sources of financial or other support for the work. Where applicable, authors should explain the role of the funding organization or sponsor in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and decision to submit the work for publication.

Authors should also disclose whether they had independent access to the relevant data and whether any sponsor imposed restrictions on analysis, interpretation, or publication.

Reviewers' Responsibilities

Reviewers must disclose to the Editor any relationship or activity that could bias, or reasonably appear to bias, their assessment of a manuscript.

Reviewers should decline an assignment or recuse themselves when a conflict of interest could compromise their impartiality. Reviewers must not use confidential information obtained through peer review for personal, professional, or financial advantage.

Editors and Editorial Staff

Editors and editorial staff involved in decision-making must disclose relevant relationships and activities and should recuse themselves from handling a manuscript where a conflict could compromise their impartiality.

Where an Editor has a conflict of interest, the manuscript should be assigned to another qualified Editor whenever appropriate. Editorial staff must not use confidential information obtained through their work for personal or professional benefit.

Editorial Independence

The existence of a disclosed conflict of interest does not automatically prevent publication. The Editor will determine whether the conflict can be appropriately managed or whether additional measures are necessary.

Editorial decisions must remain independent of commercial interests, sponsors, advertisers, personal relationships, or other external pressures.

Disclosure in Published Articles

Where appropriate, relevant conflict-of-interest and funding disclosures will be included in the published article so that readers can make an informed assessment of potential influences on the work.

The journal may request additional disclosure information or supporting documentation when necessary to ensure transparency.

Undisclosed Conflicts

If a previously undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after submission or publication, the journal may request clarification from the authors or other relevant parties.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may publish a correction, disclosure statement, expression of concern, or retraction where necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Commitment to Transparency

The Employee Relations Law Journal encourages complete and transparent disclosure by all participants in the publication process. Disclosure allows Editors and readers to assess potential influences while supporting trust in the journal's editorial and scholarly processes.