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HomeMy WebLinkAbout052 76OIu"i'TQQ JEFFERSON COUN'T'Y EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT I. It is the policy of Jefferson County to provide equal opportunity to all its employees and T,)plicants for employment, and to assure that there is no discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or physical disability unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification. This policy extends to all areas of employment and to all relations with employees including recruitment, selection and placement, compensation, promotion and transfer, training, daily working conditions, awards and benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment. This policy shall be given a high priority consideration in the day -to- day operations of Jefferson County personnel activities. To implement this policy, we have designed an Affirmative Action Program. The goal of this program is to insure that equal opportunity employment is a reality in Jefferson County. Furthermore, it specifies steps which are designed to actively promote the employ- ment opportunities of minorities and women. The Jefferson County Personnel Officer is responsible for the development of the Affirmative Action Program, including implementation and maintenance of systems which monitor the effectiveness of the equal employment opportunity policy, and preparation of reports on the effectiveness of that program to the Board of County Commissioners. Performance of the Affirmative Action Program will be carefully reviewed and evaluated by the Board of County Commissioners as Frequently as may be necessary but at least annually. 01: T this day of 1976. JEIFTERSON,JCQUNTY BOARD OF CaM ISSIONERS ATTEST: B. G. Brown, Chairman 1 / ". � A O'N'Teara,°iT m�e�rl�d'�•� {�� Betty J,4�?Angerson ounty Auditor and OEyicio Clerk of the Board E Carroll Mercer, Member II. OF THE AFFIFMATIVE ACTION PLAN A. Communication within County government. (1) A copy of the Jefferson County Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement shall be provided to each County employee. (2) Special meetings of the employees shall be held to discuss the program and to answer questions. (3) A written memorandum shall be sent to all supervisors informing them of their general responsibilities regarding the Affirmative Action Program. (4) As required to assure continued success of the Affirmative Action Program, special meetings may be called by the County Personnel officer to discuss with supervisory personnel any problems related to the program. (5) A copy of the Jefferson County Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement and other Equal Employment Opportunity posters shall be placed where employees normally expect to find such notices. (6) A summary report on the Affirmative Action Program shall be annually prepared by the County Personnel Officer and provided to the Board of County Ccrnmissioners. (7) The County Personnel Officer shall provide employees, on inquiry, information and materials concerning the Affirmative Action Program. (8) The procedure set up under this Plan for handling caumlaints of discrimination shall be made available to employees on request. (9) Copies of this Affirmative Action Plan shall be available to employees at the personnel office. copies of the Affirmative Action Plan shall be posted at the Courthouse and in the office of every elected office holder of Jefferson County and in each office under the authority of the Board of County Commissioners. B. Ccmc mication to the community. (1) A letter shall be sent to employment sources and local minority.organiza- tions, insofar as practical, informing then of our Affirmative Action Plan, advising that they will be promptly notified of all job openings, and requesting their active cooperation. (2) A letter shall be sent with normal correspondence to all vendors, suppliers and contractors with wham Jefferson County does business informing them of the Affirmative Action Plan.and requesting their cooperation. (3) A letter shall be sent to each union and employee association with whom Jefferson County deals advising them of the Affirmative Action Plan and requesting their cooperation. (4) A letter shall be sent to minority contractors, insofar as is practical when construction is contemplated, soliciting their bids or involvement in the work. III. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY A. General responsibility. (1) The actions of each employee are important to achieving the Affirmative Action Plan's objectives. Disciplinary action may be taken against any employee who ia3j —tfif: j ) 1J43�+�.3 '1 1 C obstructs implementation of the Plan. (2) The support of every employee in a supervisory capacity and of each elected official is very important to the success of the Affirmative Action Plan . Performance in meeting affirmative action objectives will be carefully included in all future performance reviews. B. Appointment of Personnel Officer. (1) The Jefferson County Personnel Officer has responsibility for develop- ing procedures to implement this Affirmative Action Plan and to audit and evaluate the success of those procedures. (2) The duties of the Personnel Officer include the following: (a) To annually review and propose revisions to the Affirmative Action Plan as may be appropriate to achieve the purposes of that Plan. (b) To annually evaluate the extent to which the Affirmative Action Plan has been implemented and to prepare a written report of such evaluation to the Board of County Commissioners. (c) To establish goals, timetables, and procedures for implementing review and modification, as required, of current personnel practices to assure conpliance with the policies of the Affirmative Action Plan. (d) To assist and to counsel all persons in a supervisory capacity regarding their responsibilities under the Affirmative Action Plan. (e) To provide assistance to those for whom the Affirmative Action Plan was designed in career planning and other employment matters. (f) To maintain a liaison with the Equal EMVloyment Opportunity Commission, the Washington State Human Rights Commission and other government compliance agencies. (g) Th maintain a liaison with all commmity organizations with an interest in affirmative action. (h) To investigate and assist in resolving allegations of discrimina- tion against Jefferson County. (i) To the extent requested by the Jefferson County Civil Service Commission, assist and advise the Commission on matters relating to employment policies and maintain such statistics as are necessary to evaluate the departments covered by the Commission. (j) To maintain such employee records as are essential for the proper functioning of the personnel office and for an evaluation of the Affirmative Action Plan. (3) The various County department heads will cooperate with the Personnel Director by: (a) Providing such information as is necessary to accurately analyze their work force relative to the purpose of the Affirmative Action Plan. (b) Setting goals and timetables, where the employee composition of that office does not presently comply with the intent of the Affirmative Action Plan, for bringing their respective department into compliance with the overall Plan. -. awl N. RECRUIIME T AND REVISION OF PERSONNEL PRACTICES Jefferson County recognizes certain inbalances do exist nationwide by sex and race minority that are not carpatible with the objectives of equal Employ- rrent opportunity. The development of the Affirmative Action Program is aimed at correcting any such deficiency in this County. The employee selection process will be reviewed to assure that all tests and standards used hereafter will be related to job performance and will be administered in accordance with the guidelines established by the Equal Employment opportunity Commission and recommendations of the Human Rights Commission in accordance with RCW 49.60.010 -.320. It is the intent of Jefferson County to include the following provision in all collective bargaining agreements which henceforth may be entered between the County and any union: Non - discrimination. There shall be no discrimination against any individual with respect to compensation, terms or conditions of Employment, nor with respect to union membership because of race, color, religion, national origin, age or sex, except where age or sex is a bona fide occupational qualification. Any violation shall constitute a breach of this agreement. Jefferson County is an equal opportunity employer. A. Recruitment. (1) All recruiting announcements shall contain the following statement: Jefferson County is an affirmative action equal employment opportunity employer and will not discriminate in any of its Employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, age, marital status, national original or physical disability unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification. (2) When a vacancy occurs, the vacancy shall be publicized, as indicated hereinabove under section II, B, for a period of at least two (2) weeks. Applications shall be accepted during that entire time. This requirement may be waived: (a) To hire temporary Employees, for periods not to exceed three (3) months, or (b) When a vacancy in the same class has been so publicized within the past ninety (90) days, resulting in an adequate supply of applicants, or (c) When the position is under Civil Service and there is an adequate recent eligible list. B. Job analysis. (1) The County shall make a good faith effort to develop class specifications for each class of employment. (A class is a group of positions sufficiently similar ± �� 4_r "rid 0, x:985 in duties and responsibilities so that the same selection methods and pay scale are appropriate for all.) Each class specification shall include-, (a) The class title, (b) The typical duties and responsibilities of the class, (c) The knowledge, abilities, skills and characteristics required to perform the duties, and (d) The minimnn training, experience or other requirements for entry into the class. (2) Class specifications shall be reviewed and revised as appropriate so as to assure that they reflect current skills and responsibilities and that require- ments for the class are set at the minimnn level needed for entrance into the position. (3) Trainee positions will be created when feasible and appropriate to facilitate movement of unskilled minorities and women into various permanent positions. (4) Career ladders and logical lines of progression within and between classes shall be identified to facilitate the training and promotion of minorities and women, where both feasible and appropriate. (5) where feasible, jobs shall be restructured to provide easier access by minorities and women. Such jobs shall be made part of a career ladder so that the employees understand their potential for advancement. C. Selection process. (1) Application forms, interviewing procedures and other records shall be reviewed and revised to insure that questions not related to job performance or which operate to discriminate against minorities and women are eliminated. (2) Selection procedures shall be developed that will be both fair to all applicants who have the potential to perform the work of the position and that will provide department heads with effective employees. (3) The County will continually review its selection process to assure that minority groups and female applicants are not discriminated against. Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of job related criteria only. D. Promotions, transfers and termination of employment. (1) Decisions regarding promotions shall be made in accordance with the County's policy on equal employment opportunity. (2) All decisions with regard to transfers within the County from one position to another will be made and administered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age or sex. (3) Records shall be kept indicating the movement of minorities and womean within County employment relative to proration, job assignment, layoff, and recall. (4) Termination of employment shall be carried out in a manner consistent with the policy set out herein, and no such termination will be based on an employee's race, color, religion, national origin, age or sex. E. Training (1) Work schedules of employees may be adjusted to permit the participa- tion of such employees in training programs, if this does not decrease the usefulness of the employee to the County. Y 11?„ 1ttt�vvv A m y �, ..O (2) where jobs can be learned in a short period of time, on- the -job training programs shall be instituted to facilitate movement into these positions by women and minority candidates with minimum qualifications. (3) The County will assure that the requirements for selection and participation in any training program is in compliance with the policies of this Affirmative Action Plan. F. Compensation. (1) Rates of pay shall be equalized where jobs require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility. PRWIDED, however, that any existing union contract shall be complied with. (2) Fringe benefit programs shall be reviewed and revised where necessary to assure that they are available to each employee on a non - discriminatory basis. (3) working conditions shall be reviewed to assure that for each position substantially similar working conditions prevail within the classification. G. Appeals and grievances. (1) Employees covered by a negotiated collective bargaining agreement containing a grievance procedure shall be encouraged to use that procedure in seek- ing relief from an alleged discriminatory practice. (2) The County Personnel Officer shall establish a grievance procedure for all employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. These procedures shall be ready for inplementation as of , 1976. V. A. The County shall conduct a census of its employees by job class to assess current utilization patterns for women and minorities. As a part of this survey the County shall also seek to identify currently promotable or transferable minority and women employees. B. The County shall make a study of future manpower needs based on expected attrition and employment growth projections. C. The County shall conduct a study of relevant labor markets to determine the availability of minorities and women with skills and qualifications as related to the County's requirements. D. The County shall study the training capabilities of area educational institutions and craft unions as first steps toward increasing the availability of qualified women and minorities. VI. GOALS AND T=ABLES Goals and timetables are appropriate as a device to help measure progress in remedying discrimination. A goal is a numerical objective, fixed realistically in terms of the number of vacancies expected, and the number of qualified applicants I available in the relevant job market. Goals do not require an employer to displace existing employees or to hire unneeded or unqualified employees to meet the goal established. A goal recognizes that persons are to be judged on individual ability, and therefore is consistent with the principles of merit hiring. With the foregoing in mind, the following principles should be followed in establishing goals: A. Whenever it is appropriate to establish goals, the goals and timetables should take into account anticipated vacancies and the availability of skills in the marketplace. B. The goals should be reached through such recruiting and advertis- ing efforts as are necessary and appropriate, and the selection of persons only from among those who are qualified. C. In no event does a goal require that an employer must in all circumstances hire a specified number of persons. It is appropriate to establish goals and timetables for future hirings. D. Any person previously excluded from consideration or employment because of a discriminatory practice shall be allowed to compete for future vacancies on the basis of their individual qualifications. I t. i : o� A. The County Personnel Officer shall continually monitor the progress being made in meeting the objectives of this Plan. Where appropriate, periodic revisions in the Affirmative Action Plan shall be made. B. Annually the County Personnel Officer shall prepare a report assessing the performance of the County in meeting the objectives of this Plan. This report shall include a comprehensive accounting setting out the numerical changes in employ- ment during the past year. A summiary of this report shall be posted in accordance with Section II, A, (5). C. This evaluation shall be reviewed at a meeting of department heads for purposes of recommending modification to provide a more meaningful report. D. The County Personnel Officer shall prepare and submit such reports as may be required to the Equal Employment Opportunity Cmvdssion, the Washington State Human Rights Cmmmission and to such other governmental agencies as have responsibility for affirmative action performance. .ZM ADOPTED this / ;> day of �,�1 (/ 1976. JEF=CN COUNTY BOARD OF C 24.ISSICNERS B. G. Brown, Chairman 12t ty J. Anderson, unty A it r ? l �` =X� °a A. �Ex- Officio C rk of Board �� ana, r Carroll Mercer, Member -71 PAGF W%b M91' 01� 11 J r C Ing¢en sessor y J so Audi J'' I(JA .n f, h44,t,� Mary T. �brwood Court Clerk L i Lillian Jaco Treasurer 1--d Robeft L. Hansen ` r Sheriff f' 4 Alliam E. Howard . Prosecuting Attorney G. B. Chamberlin Superior Court Judge (Date) I Og - Date (Date) h`- / 7- 7� (Date) (Date) `e i � 76—. (Date) er Moffett (Date) pe for Court Judge \s Edwin Becker Director of Public Works Ddi7id Ox=Mgham Planning Department Director Padia /Building Inspector n -8- ��) (Date) Date Published 8/12/76 Vol f q�S `_ .' t. ,