RALEIGH — Some employees at the North Carolina legislature have been put on notice about romantic relationships with people who lobby the N.C. General Assembly following resignations in Speaker Thom Tillis' office.

The Legislative Ethics Committee is circulating new guidelines it says will guard against inappropriate and unethical behavior. The policy says a legislative employee who serves at the will of a lawmaker should not have a dating relationship or sexual relations with a registered lobbyist or state agency liaison unless it is disclosed to the legislator. Dating relationships are defined.

Co-chairman N.C. Rep. Paul Stam said the guidelines followed requests by Tillis and House Minority Leader Joe Hackney.

Tillis chief of staff Charles Thomas and policy adviser Amy Hobbs resigned in April after Tillis said the two had inappropriate relationships with lobbyists.