Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Rocio Kiryczun, Human Resources Director
Michelle Park, EEO Manager
Subject: 2022-2025 County Equal Employment Opportunity Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
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Accept and approve the 2022-2025 County of San Mateo Equal Employment Opportunity Plan.
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BACKGROUND:
Every several years, consistent with federal guidance, the County prepares an Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEO) which reiterates the County’s commitment to equal employment opportunity in its employment practices, program operations, and service delivery systems. The EEO Plan provides an overview of the County’s equal employment opportunity efforts, accomplishments, and objectives, and highlights many of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The Board of Supervisors last approved the 2018-2021 County of San Mateo EEO Plan on December 17, 2017. We recommend that the Board of Supervisors accept and approve the 2022-2025 County of San Mateo EEO Plan.
OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE:
The EEO Plan outlines the County’s purpose and goals related to equal employment opportunity including:
• Attract and retain a diverse workforce that reflects the community it serves;
• Promote a work environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and harassment, including unfair treatment based on sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, veteran status, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, use of family medical leave, genetic testing, or any other basis protected by federal or state law;
• Provide opportunities for career development and advancement for all employees, and identify barriers and challenges to equal employment opportunity and remove them or develop solutions;
• Increase the pool of qualified, diverse applicants, particularly for job categories or areas that are underrepresented.
• Increase inclusion among employees of differing identities and backgrounds to promote a welcoming and productive workforce that responds to the needs of a diverse workforce and community.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
The EEO Plan also highlights many of the County’s accomplishments over the past four years with respect to initiatives, programs, and policies that promote equal employment opportunity and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The EEO Plan recognizes that the success of these efforts depends on County leadership support, along with a continued commitment from department heads, managers, supervisors, and employees. Some of the accomplishments are highlighted below:
(1) Expanded outreach efforts to attract a diverse pool of applicants by continually exploring methods to broaden the reach of recruitment activities, including participation in career and job fairs, expos, and community events, and targeted advertising of job opportunities to professional organizations representing women, minority, and other groups;
(2) Expanded internship and fellowship programs to broaden the pool of qualified diverse applicants to County positions and increase work-related knowledge and experience among potential candidates from diverse backgrounds including community youth, emancipated foster youth, and others;
(3) Provided more than 70 department-specific and other training classes, covering approximately 6,000 employees, in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, EEO, and serving employees and applicants with disabilities and medical conditions;
(4) Encouraged departments to use work out of class opportunities, training, and promotions from within as a means to provide equal opportunities, and encouraged the use of flexible schedules, Voluntary Time Off (VTO), Telecommuting, and other alternatives to maximize employee work/life balance, including family care-giving responsibilities, health recovery, education opportunities, and better commute alternatives;
(5) Continued programs designed to develop internal candidates for future County employment opportunities, including Executive Leadership Academy, Management Development Program, Supervisory Academy, Management Talent Exchange Program, Public Sector Leadership Academy, Lead Worker Academy, and the Stepping Up and Leading Up Academy.
OBJECTIVES:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Plan provides an overview of objectives to reiterate and advance the County’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and diversity, equity, and inclusion in its employment practices, program operations, and service delivery systems. Some of those objectives include the following:
• Under the guidance of the new Chief Equity Officer and Office of Racial and Social Equity, develop a Racial and Social Equity Action Plan with countywide and departmental actions and other structures and systems, including performance measures and equity impact analysis and statements in policies;
• A County workforce training program, equity data profile, and development of equity performance metrics as part of the County budgeting process;
• Continue to develop and conduct trainings regarding workplace discrimination, harassment, implicit bias, and inclusion, to foster positive intergroup relationships to reaffirm the County’s commitment to providing a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for all employees;
• Create, sponsor and/or support educational/ diversity events, speakers, panels, and/or programs that will offer additional opportunities to employees to gain experience and knowledge about jobs and career paths. Foster professional development by offering work-out-of-class opportunities, job rotation, committee assignments, enhanced training opportunities, coaching and mentoring opportunities; and
• Increase countywide recruitment efforts to attract a broad and diverse candidate pool for positions in all categories, by continuing to build relationships with professional organizations representing diverse underrepresented potential candidates for employment, and encouraging the use of diverse hiring panels.
The 2022-2025 EEO Plan reinforces County of San Mateo’s commitment to equal employment opportunity for all. Through ongoing and future efforts, we can continue to attract and retain a workforce to best able to serve the needs of our diverse community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the report.