IT S ABOUT OPPORTUNITY CITY OF GAINESVILLE OFFICE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Transcription

1 IT S ABOUT OPPORTUNITY CITY OF GAINESVILLE OFFICE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CITIZEN ACADEMY

2 WHO WE ARE TOREY ALSTON Equal Opportunity Director Gwendolyn D. Saffo, Affirmative Action Manager & Chief Investigator Bridget Lee, Diversity & inclusion Manager Tom Bledsoe, Compliance Investigator Sylvia Warren, Small, Minority & Veteran Business Procurement Program Coordinator Zanorfa Lynch, Equal Opportunity Office Coordinator

3 VISION, MISSION, GOAL One Vision: Leading the way as a diverse model agency for all citizens, employees and visitors to the City of Gainesville. One Mission: To ensure diversity, equal opportunity, equality and equity in contracting, employment, services, programs and activities. One Goal: Continuous enhancement of diversity, equal opportunity, equality and equity in the City of Gainesville.

4 OUR ROLE The City s Responsibility Proactive Prevention & Diversity Training Public Engagement & Community Outreach Investigations Laws & Policy Guidance Affirmative Action & Diversity Workplan Enforcement Small, Minority & Veterans Business Procurement Program ADA Compliance Other Initiatives for Enhancing Diversity & Inclusion

5 THE CITY S RESPONSIBILITY Be a Resource Communicate organization s policies on prevention of discrimination Seek both internal(employees) & external(citizens) stakeholder involvement Provide environment free of harassment, retaliation and/or discrimination Take corrective action when necessary Hold individuals accountable for their actions

6 PROACTIVE PREVENTION & DIVERSITY TRAINING Policy Development & Enhancement Diversity Training for All Employees Preventing Harassment & Discrimination Diversity/Affirmative Action Work Plan Training Targeted Departmental Training (as requested & necessary)

7 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNITY OUTREACH City of Gainesville Job Fair Community Expos & Small Business Events Fair Housing Awareness Event Dismantling Prejudices & Biases Events ADA Awareness Event Annual Employment Law Seminar OEO Website & Social Media Radio/TV Tabling At Events

8 INVESTIGATIONS WHAT IS DISCRIMINATION? Basing employment decisions on illegal basis instead of on merit, experience, and qualifications. Protected Classes: Race; Color; Religion; Gender; National Origin; Age; Disability; Marital Status; Sexual Orientation; Gender Identity;(Retaliation) Applies to all aspects of employment: Hiring; Terms and conditions; Benefits and privileges; Post employment

9 LAWS & POLICY GUIDANCE THESE LAWS AND POLICIES APPLY TO BOTH EMPLOYEES & CITIZENS Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Florida Statutes-Chapter 760 City of Gainesville Code of Ordinances (Chapter 8) City of Gainesville Equal Opportunity Policies 1-8

10 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION & DIVERSITY WORKPLAN ENFORCEMENT An Affirmative Action plan is a management tool designed to ensure equal employment opportunity and over time, the workforce will generally reflect the gender, racial, and ethnic profile of the labor pools reflective of the community. The City administers two voluntary Affirmative Action plans which focus on the underutilization of minorities and women in the workforce: General Government and Gainesville Regional Utilities Workforce Analysis by Departments Job Group Analysis Availability Analysis Comparison of Incumbency and Availability Analysis Placement Goals Analysis

11 SMALL, MINORITY & VETERAN BUSINESS PROCUREMENT PROGRAM Local small businesses support the City of Gainesville's overall economic development and the City is committed to the success, growth and development of these businesses. To help local small businesses be more successful, the City has adopted the Small, Minority, and Service- Disabled Veteran Business Program. This program provides significant opportunities for qualified local small businesses to participate on a nondiscriminatory basis in all aspects of the City's contracting and procurement programs as well as providing other needed business services.

12 ADA COMPLIANCE ADA SELF-EVALUATION PLAN PHASE I: PROGRAMS, SERVICES & ACTIVITIES Employment [Title I] State and local government [Title II] Public accommodations (private businesses) [Title III] Telecommunications [Title IV] Transportation and miscellaneous provisions [Title V] Phase II: FACILITIES Collaboration of charter officers and department heads Focus on approach and entrances, access to goods/services, restrooms, public access, golf facilities, play areas, swimming pools, etc. NEXT STEPS Upon completion of this Phase II Self-Evaluation Process, there will a Transition Plan will be developed proposing a comprehensive blueprint going forward.

13 ADA COMPLIANCE This ADA Title II Self Evaluation Plan has been prepared to fulfill the requirements set forth in Title II of the ADA. The ADA states that a public entity must reasonably modify its policies, practices, or facilities to avoid discrimination against people with disabilities. To develop this plan, the Equal Opportunity Director/ADA Coordinator launched an ADA Self-Evaluation process in July Subsequently, charter officers selected departmental contacts to respond to the self-evaluation survey and we received 100% participation from all departments in General Government and Gainesville Regional Utilities.

14 OTHER INITIATIVES FOR ENHANCING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Citizens Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee Employee Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee

15 CONTACT US Office of Equal Opportunity 222 East University Avenue P.O. Box 490-Station 52 Gainesville, Florida (352) (office) (352) (fax) Florida Relay Service: TTY: (352)

16 OFFICE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY QUESTIONS? IT S ABOUT OPPORTUNITY