Affirmative Action Plan Development

Statement of Policy on Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment for all qualified individuals without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, Veteran status, disabled Veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

Genesee County is committed to assuring that it will act affirmatively to develop avenues of entry and mobility for minorities, women, qualified individuals with disabilities, and Veterans through continued development and implementation of:

• Programmatic approaches to ensure that no unjust exclusionary employment practices, policies and consequences exist.
• Educational and training programs for all employees.
• Personnel practices, policies, and career ladders to assist and encourage upward mobility of employees.
• Mechanisms for swift and judicious resolution of any alleged discrimination, harassment or other conduct inconsistent with our policy and any other legal statutes.

To effectuate this policy, a plan has been designed which conforms with all relevant Federal and State nondiscrimination and affirmative action regulations including but not limited to: The Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Act of 1974, the New York State Human Rights Law and Governor's Executive Order #6. This plan applies equally to all job classifications and titles, and all types of appointments. It governs all employment practices, policies, and actions including but not limited to: recruitment, employment, disciplinary actions, rate of pay or other compensation, advancement, reclassification, reallocation, promotion, demotion, and all employee benefits.

Department heads are encouraged to provide departmental specific training for employees, and employees are given time off from work, without loss of pay, to attend such programs.

A management training committee has also been established to facilitate training seminars for managerial personnel. This committee meets monthly, reviews proposals, develops agreements and implements training in various areas pertinent to managerial personnel development.

It is policy to select employees based upon ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the particular job in question, not the unrelated factors of age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status or status as a member of any other protected group or activity. Therefore:

• Selection procedures are to be reviewed on an ongoing basis, to eliminate artificial barriers which may inhibit the employment and upward mobility of minorities, women, persons with a handicapping condition, the aged and other disadvantaged persons.
• All application forms, job interviews, questions and other selection criteria are to be job related, nondiscriminatory and in compliance with the New York State Division of Human Rights Rulings on Inquiries.
• All pre-employment questions must be necessary to measure job performance in order to be asked. Pre-employment information must be obtained in a nondiscriminatory manner. (i.e. test questions, and applications must be the same for all candidates or applicants.)
• The County exam/employment application form is frequently reviewed, and revised as necessary, to ensure that information required is strictly job related.
• A medical examination will not be required until a conditional offer of employment has been made. Any such exam must be administered equally to all entering employees within the same job category.
• Job specifications are written to identify the essential job functions, and the minimum education and experience requirements. No minimum qualifications are set for employment in a Genesee County position until the Personnel Officer has conducted a study of the job duties and responsibilities. An important principle followed is that qualifications are set at a level which ensures minimum competence and ability to perform the duties of the job, and also avoids artificial barriers to the employment of minorities, women, the disabled, the aged, veterans, or other disadvantaged persons.
• All Civil Service tests are written by and validated to be job related by the New York State Department of Civil Service.
• All persons involved in job interviewing and selection are to use objective, job related selection standards and to support the Genesee County Affirmative Action Policy.
• Department heads, will continue to assist the Affirmative Action Officer in establishing and utilizing proper nondiscriminatory selection and pre-employment procedures.
• Where appropriate, referral to Section 55-a of the New York State Civil Service Law which allows for the placement in the Non-Competitive class of certain jobs when they are filled with persons certified by the State as disabled.

The County's Affirmative Action Plan will be reviewed and updated, as necessary, every year by the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee.

The annual County EEO-4 Report shall provide the basis for the development of relevant and achievable Affirmative Action Goals which shall incorporate a variety of activities to promote the best and most practical means to eliminate barriers and increase employment opportunities for women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era.