Equal Employment Opportunity Program Review and Update
WHEREAS, the Erie County Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (“ECEEO”) is, in part, charged with developing and administering Equal Employment and Affirmative Action programs of Erie County pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, and in accordance with the laws of New York State and the County of Erie;
WHEREAS, the mission of the ECEEO Office is to help build an inclusive workforce in an environment that fosters dignity and respect for the individual through best customer practices and focus on the taxpayer, and cultivates business and economic development opportunities for minority and women owned businesses;
WHEREAS, services and programs are provided for the benefit of all County residents without regard to race, sex, religion, age disability, national origin, marital status, color, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran;
WHEREAS, the ECEEO Office audits county contracts for goods, services, and construction to maintain participation goals for Minority Business Enterprises (“MBE”) and Women owned Business Enterprises (“WBE”);
WHEREAS, services are provided to facilitate MBE and WBE access to County contracts. County departments, agencies and administrative units are monitored for compliance with the utilization plan for MBEs and WBEs on County contracts for professional, technical and consulting services;
WHEREAS, the ECEEO Office monitors the County’s personnel and hiring procedures to assure compliance with the County’s affirmative action plan. A job bank is also available to assist county departments and local businesses in recruiting county residents for employment;
WHEREAS, the Director of the Erie County Equal Employment Opportunity Office is responsible for the administration of an Affirmative Action Program to ensure the equalization of employment opportunities for qualified job applicants and employees in the Erie County Service regardless of minority status or sex;
WHEREAS, the ECEEO offers two major services: (1) complaint investigation; and (2) affirmative action administration. Diversity and harassment training is coordinated county-wide through the Department of Personnel;
WHEREAS, the ECEEO Office is responsible for investigation of harassment complaints and monitoring of equal employment and affirmative action policy and procedures for all units of the County government. Mandated reports to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other regulatory authorities are compiled and filed by this office; and,
WHEREAS, the Equal Employment Opportunity Office’s Affirmative Action Manual has not been updated since 1981. Since 1981 there have been significant changes in the law regarding handling of complaints, in the expectations for favorable outcomes in such matters and in the responsibility of the County to proactively train staff on their duties and responsibilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, I MARK C. POLONCARZ, Erie County Executive, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Erie County Charter Sections 301 & 302, do hereby order as follows:
1. It is ordered that the Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office shall aggressively ensure the equalization of employment opportunities for qualified job applicants, and for qualified MBE and WBE businesses without regard to race, sex, religion, age disability, national origin, marital status, color, sexual orientation or status as a Vietnam-era veteran; and it is
2. Further ordered that the Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office shall review and update the Erie County Affirmative Action Manual to bring it into compliance with current law and practices; and it is
3. Further ordered that all appropriate agencies under the leadership of the County Executive including but not limited to the Department of Law shall provide assistance and cooperation to the Director of the ECEEO Office in the review and updating of the Affirmative Action Manual; and it is
4. Further ordered that a final draft of the Updated EEO Manual shall be submitted to the County Executive no later than March 1, 2012.
GIVEN, under my hand and the Privy Seal of the County of Erie in the City of Buffalo this third day of January, in the year two thousand twelve.
County of Erie
By: _________________________
Mark C. Poloncarz
Erie County Executive