(a) The City is firmly committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity in all personnel actions. As requirements develop which must be filled from the outside, the City will recruit and hire in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, familial status, military status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. When opportunities for promotion occur, full consideration will be given to all possible candidates, and selection will be based on valid job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, familial status, military status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The City hereby pledges itself to ensure that all procedures for recruiting, hiring and promoting are designed to forward the principle of equal employment opportunity and that only valid requirements are imposed when promotional opportunities exist. Further, the City intends that all matters related to compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, educational opportunities and employee programs and facilities will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, familial status, military status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Also, the City will take affirmative steps to ensure that its recruiting sources include those likely to produce qualified minority applicants. Where applicable, the City will contact organizations which provide referral services for minority applicants and will advertise in news media which have a substantial number of minority customers, including minority news media.
(b) In order to promote the principle of equal employment opportunities for residents and to seek out qualified individuals for open job positions in the City, the advertisement of all new and existing unfilled job positions within the City shall be required for a minimum period of one week, in the following places: in a news paper, on the City Website and/or any qualified online Job Classifieds Website and a bulletin board of general information at City Hall. The Mayor shall retain the right to appoint and remove employees according to Article V Section 4 of the City Charter.
(c) The Equal Employment Opportunity Officer will have overall responsibility for the implementation of the City's affirmative action plan. With the cooperation of appropriate personnel, his or her responsibilities will include:
(1) Designing and implementing record keeping systems as needed which will document the results of City hiring and promotional practices and will measure program effectiveness;
(2) Analyzing such records for any evidence of deficiencies in procedures and identifying any existing problem areas;
(3) Advising managers of problem areas within their scope of responsibility and working with them to develop satisfactory solutions to such problems;
(4) Developing grievance and/or complaint procedures sufficient to provide an equitable communications medium for all employees;
(5) Serving as liaison between the City and compliance agencies, women and minority organizations and community action groups;
(6) Developing and annually updating an affirmative action program for the City;
(7) Auditing the City's progress toward goals and reporting results to responsible Municipal officials on a regular basis; and
(8) Keeping informed of the latest developments in the entire area of equal employment opportunity and ensuring that the City is in compliance with applicable local, State and Federal regulations.
(d) The provision for periodic auditing set forth in paragraph (c)(7) hereof is particularly important. The City's commitment to a fundamental philosophy of human relations based on recognition of the rights and abilities of each individual is resulting in the development of personnel policies and practices of which the City can be justifiably proud. Nonetheless, it is the City's responsibility to ensure that the actual results of these policies and practices are fully consonant with their intent. To this end, the reports provided for in paragraph (c)(7) hereof will be the basis for appropriate action if any shortcoming in the City's program becomes apparent.
(e) The Mayor is hereby authorized to provide to any Federal, State, County or other agency or administration such documentation as may be required to substantiate the City's compliance with this section.
(Res. 1978-70. Passed 5-3-78; Ord. 2008-85. Passed 9-17-08; Ord. 2014-23. Passed 3-19-14.)