Why can you work at the same place with a best friend, but not a sibling !?

Question

so i got a little context if i can . 

i have 4 siblings there is 5 of us in total ... we live in a little area that seems to be in the middle of nowhere , there for , not many places to work unless your up to drive about 1 hour one way .. 

2 of my siblings decided to do that , they moved so they could be closer to the busier part of the state so they dont have to drive much anymore , and while my 1 sibling works at the local gas station .. 

me and my little brother have been job hunting together ... and so happens his best friend told us about a few job openings at the place he was working , and they desperately needed people .. so we though "hey why not" he got his application in about 20 -30 minutes before me. 

we both got a call the next day , considering they where in such need for workers. 
we both got interviews within a day of each other. 

his friend told us they really liked me , but were standoffish about him .. which made me laugh cause i was a nervous wreck, and hes always more composed then me. 
 got a call needing stuff for background checks ,you know , birth dates , ssn .. all that lovely stuff .. then told me they would call me when it came though and let me know when i start .. I WAS SO EXCITED .... 

WEEK LATER, my brother gets a call , telling him he got the job , but then told him they had a no sibling policy ..... so i was waiting for a call for week to end up going to my brother , and asking him if he got a call , and he told me ...... 

why did they let me go through all those hoops just to be rejected ? they knew their policy , and they knew we were siblings ... they actually asked us "how do you feel working with your sibling " we both answered we would have no problem with it .... but why would they ask us that , if they knew one of us would get rejected !? .. 

and how come you can work with your best friend , but not a sibling !? i dont get that logic ?! .. how come they couldn't just give us different shifts !? you know like him day shift , and me night shifts . or something . i mean i grew up with my dad , and my little brother grew up with my mom ... just cause were blood related shouldnt matter... right ? 

this job was like my only option cause most of the places around here are either filled up , or going out of the business , or closing for the winter .. 

can someone explain this to me , and why its a policy , cause , i really dont get it ....

Answer

It isn't illegal to hire siblings, nor is it illegal to maintain a policy against it. You didn't state what kind of job it is, so there might be any number of reasons. Possibly, they don't want you to be in cahoots  (fraud oft relies on breaches in trust), or wasting time interacting with each other (either positively or negatively, ie arguing) - this may have inspired that "how do you get along" question, meaning this might not be a strict policy.
Additionally, remember that employees are not their companies. Each may know a different subset of the policies and choose to act differently, or have access to different info in the making of that decision.

Methinks it's futile to investigate the chain of events. Depending on the position and how he fares, your brother may be able to pull you in later. Wouldn't count on it. If there is no work nearby, you must seek employment elsewhere. You say a couple have moved out, mayhap you could join them - good to be with people you trust.
FYI, where I live, 1hr driving to work is considered standard, so long as the vehicle is leased or there's decent public transportation frequency, at most 1-2 buses. Personally I've dealt with 1.5hrs for years. Admittedly, quite spiteful at & critical of these modern logistics.

Why can you work at the same place with a best friend, but not a sibling !?

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