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HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-1986-1509 . . ORDINANCE NO. 1509 AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF LA PORTE: FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW: AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE: Section 1. The City Council of the City of La Porte hereby adopts an Affirmative Action Plan for the City of La Porte, a true and correct copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A", incorpo- rated by reference herein, and made a part hereof for all purposes. Section 3. The City Council officially finds, determines, recites and declares that a sufficient written notice of the date, hour, place and subject of this meeting of the City Council was posted at a place convenient to the public at the City Hall of the City for the time required by law preceding this meeting, as required by the Open Meetings Law, Article 6252-17, Texas Revised Civil Statut- es Annotated: and that this meeting has been open to the public as required by law at all times during which this ordi;nance and the subject matter thereof has been discussed, considered and formally acted upon. The City Council further ratifies, approves and confirms such written notice and the contents and posting thereof. Section 3. This Ordinance shall be in effect immediately upon its passage and approval. PASSED, and APPROVED this the 25th day of August, 1986. CITY OF LA PORTE BY'Nd~1?4~ ATTEST: ~~ City Secretary At5Z 0. d~ City Attorney " . , 'I I' .' e FX H 113 IT " A '/ e AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.) I. Introduction p. 1 2. ) II. Statement of Policy and Scope p. 1 3. ) III. Specific Objectives and Goals p. 2-4 4. ) IV. Responsibility for Implementation p. 4-7 5. ) V. Training Programs p. 7-8 6. ) VI. Recruitment p. 8-10 7. ) VII. Dissemination of Affirmative Action Plan p. 10 8. ) VIII. Communication of the Plan p. 10-12 , .' . e e AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF LA PORTE 1985-1986 , ' " ~ CITY OF LA PORTE ,., AFFIRMATIVE...ACTION PLAN e I. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this plan is to prov ide the citizens of the City of La Porte with the best possible government and governmental services, by providing an equitable method for recruitment, selection, and promotion of those persons qual ified to render such services. Employment and promotional opportunities shall be based on ability, continued improvement, and dedication. Only merit factors shall be used in determining those people best qualified for such employment and promotion. II. STATEMENT OF POLICY AND SCOPE Affirmative action shall be taken to ensure equal employment opportunities for all employees and prospective employees engaged in or to be engaged in City serv ices. D iscr imina t ion aga ins t any ind i v idual in recruitment, examination, appointment, training, promotion, retention, discipline, or any other aspect of human resou rces admin i stra t ion because of pol i tical or reI igious .oplnlons and affil i.ations, membership or non-membership in employee organizations, or because of race, color, national origin, marital status sex, or other sex non-merit factors is prohibited. The purpose of this plan is to ensure an appropriate working environment for all employees and prospective employees. Sexual harrassment of any employee or prospective employee including discrimination in any of the areas of human resources administration as a result of sexual harrassment, is prohibited. This Affirmative Action Plan applies to the entire City organization including the City Council and City Manager's Office. e e III. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND GOALS A. The projection of employment goals and timetables for implementation is made with full cognizance that some departments will 'have greater opportunity and flexibility to meet their respective goals through attrition and new positions. The measure of each department's goal attainment in each jOb category will be evaluated by the City Manager's Office in terms of the opportunities for hiring, promotion, etc... presented to each department head (and supervisory personnel) and the definitive affirmative action efforts undertaken within a specific time frame. B. The immediate objective of the City of La Porte is to ensure that no under utilization of minorities, females or handicapped persons exist in any area of the employment process, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, training, etc.. C. A semiannual review of the Plan shall be made by City Staff, following which, a report describing the current plan and recommendations for improvements shall be made to City Council. D. The three year goal s of the City of La Porte are: 1) to achieve a ra t io of mal e-femal e and minor i ty representation in each job category equal to or greater than their availability in the La Porte community as indicated by the most current census and 2) to achieve a composition of handicapped employees in the City workforce. These goal s will be accomplished within three (3) years of adoption of this Affirmative Action Plan. . e E. Immed iate-range obj ect i ves a re those spec ific tasks that can reasonably be expected to be accomplished within twelve (12) months of adoption of this Plan. These include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Study by the Human Resources Division to ensure that all positions are properly categorized (e.g., Officials/Administrators, Professionals, etc.). This study should be completed within six (6) months after implementation of this Plan. 2. Identification of those current City employees and those applicants for City employment who are legally considered to be handicapped. For definition of "handicapped individual" reference sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 793 and 794). This should be accompl i shed wi thin ninety (90) day s after implementation of this Plan. 3. The establishment of a formalized process by which employees or applicants for employment may seek an appropriate remedy, should they allege d iscr imination in the selection process. This process will be established within sixty (60) days after implementation of this Plan. 4. Formalize the application process to ensure that all candidates for employment with the City of La Porte will be referred to and processed by the Human Resources Division prior to any employment offer. This process will be implemented within sixty (60) days after adoption of this Plan. . , ," . e 5. Conduct an analytical study of all job descriptions to ensure that job requirements are based on the actual needs of the job and not on subjective criteria. This should be completed within nine (9) months after adoption of this Plan. IV. RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTATION Affirmative Action demands a conscious, deliberate, and total commitment on the part of the entire municipal organization and all its employees. The City Council of La Porte will, consistent with the objectives of this Affirmative Action Plan, authorize appropriate resources in order to ensure the attainment of the Plan. This commitment will include the appropriation of funds necessary to provide staff and other resources for monitoring compliance with this Plan". Resources will also be provided for training of managerial and supervisory personnel in the area of equal employment opportunity. The City Manager will (1) be responsible for the overall administration of the Affirmative Action Plan, (2) establish, administer, and provide direction for the Plan in order that equal employment opportunity exists in each department, in all job categories, (3) disseminate appropr ia te d i rec t ion to d epa rtment head s in a t imel y manner to ensu re compl ianc e with the Pl an, (4) SUPP01' t the goals of the Plan in order that all objectives are met, (5) ensure the sufficiency of funds in the City's operating budget to allow for the successful administration of an Affirmative Action Program for the City of La Porte, and (6) evaluate persons under his direct supervision in specific areas of equal employment . e opportunity performance on a semiannual basis. The evaluation shall include such matters as (a) the subordinate's progress in filling professional and administrative positions with minorities, females and hand ica pped persons where und er util i zat ion ex is ts, (b) the subordinate's knowledge of equal employment opportunity principles and the status of affirmative action in his/her department and (c) the subordinate's own evaluation of persons under his/her supervision in the area of equal employmen t opportun i ty, among other criteria. Although the City Manager is charged with the responsibility of the overall administration, implementation, and compliance of Affirmative Action Plan, accountability will be shared by all administrators and department heads. Commitment to and compliance with the mandates of affirmative action and equal employment opportuni ty will be two major areas of cri teria in the selection of candidates for executive positions and in the evaluation process of current department heads and other supervisory personnel. The Human Resources Manager will provide the following assistance: 1. Provide the City Manager's office with all available data on activity with regard to appointments, promotions, and transfers in City departments. -:- 2. Coordinate with other City departments in developing a t"ransfer program which will provide a means of upward mobility for all employees. 3. Develop career ladders and lines of career progression. 4. Counsel La Porte employees to assist in their planning for career advancements. . e 5. Evaluate promotion policy in order to expand areas of cons ide ration and ba s i s for selec t ion, and to.. del ete unneces~ar~_requirements. 6. Use ava ilable federal, state and local programs for the recruitment and promotion of minorities, females, and persons with handicaps. 7. Analyze and remove all artificial barriers that may exist in job descriptions which tend to discriminate against females, and activ~u r.ecrui.t femal.e.Ji for those positions traditionally neld by males. .;' 8. Conduct a continuous review of job classifications to ensure job relatedness and the elimination of factors that would adversely affe0.t minorities, females and persons with handicaps. 9. Maintain all records of individuals no longer in the employ of the City of La Porte and all applications) for a period of not less than two (2) years. This is in accofdance with Section 1602.36 of the Recordkeeping Regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 10. Submi t qua rterly reports to the City Manager indicating the status of the City's efforts to comply with the affirmative action plan, including efforts of various City departments to comply with the Plan, and any other pertinent data. The department heads will assist as follows: 1. Possess and exhibit a firm and good-faith effort in their commitment to and compliance with equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. .. . .,' e 2. Coordinate with the Human Resources Office to ensure the appointment and promotion of qualified members of pro tee ted cl ~ss~s to thQ.~p-.....p.QS it ions iden t i fied by .. .. . '~ne Human Resources ~anaeer-as oeing key-positions in attaining the departments' affirmative acti~n goals. ~ . 3. Coordinate with the Human Resources Office the review and revision of their respective affirmative action workforce analysis to ensure compliance with the format designed by the Human Resources Manager. 4. Disseminate information and make the Plan available to all departmental employees. 5. Assist the Human Resources Division in the recruitment of qualified minorities, persons with handicaps. fe.mal.es, and 6. Submi t reports as requested to the Human Resources Manager, outlining each department's programs in attaining its affirmative action goals, a current utilization analysis, positions filled by appointment or promotion, positive efforts instituted to enhance affirmative action, and key posi tions targeted as affirmative action positions. v. TRAINING PROGRAMS Training must be a top priority, if the City of La Porte is to be committed to the upward mobility of all of its employees including minority, female, and handicapped employees. The Human Resources Division will work in conjunction with every City department to ascertain each department's training needs and to develop programs to address those needs. All training will be coordinated by the Human Resources Division. -- . .,' e Within ninety (90) days from the adoption of the Affirmative Action Plan by the City Council, the Human Resources Division shall prepare a plan outlining training courses and staff development programs needed to meet the City's Affirmative Action goals. This Plan shall incorporate existing courses and programs, as well as develop new ones. Project staffing and fiscal needs required to implement the training and staff developme~t programs shall also be addressed. Hithin sixty (60) days of its completion, the training plan shall be presented to the City Manager for review and to the City Council for approval and implementation. All supervisors and executive staff will receive training in comprehensive aspects of affirmative action/equal employment opportunity within two (2) years. 1. The Human Resources Division will be responsible for the development of EEO training programs for all supervisors and executive personnel. Attendance will be required of all supervisory personnel. 2. Annual performance evaluations participation in the EEO program. will include VI. RECRUITMENT The Human Resources Division will initiate a vigorous recruitment effort to bring into City employment qualified and qualifiable minorities, females, and persons with handicaps. Recruitment efforts will be conducted in, but not 1 imi ted to the Texas Employment Commission, the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, minority organizations, women's organizations, organizations dealing with handicapped persons, veterans' -- . .,0 e organizations, local colleges and universities, and local personnel agenc ies. The local med ia will be used in an attempt to reach all areas in the community. The Human Resources Division will conduct recruitment trips, as necessary, to other locales in an effort to locate and offer employment to qualified minorities, females, and persons with handicaps. In order to ensure that minorities, females, and handicapped individuals are made aware of existing vacancies within the City of La Porte, the HUr.1an Resources Division will immediately begin vigorous recruitment by performing the following: 1. Provide jOb vacancy announcements to each City department on a regular basis and ensure that each department displays these announcements immediately in areas accessible to all City employees. 2. Provide a job vacancy announcement to all local Texas Empl oymen t Commi ss ion offic es, employmen t agenc ies, veterans' organizations, minority organizations, women's organ iza t ions, churches, loc al colI ege and un i v ers i ty personnel offices, county and sta te personnel offices, organizations dealing with hand icapped persons, and organ i za t ions deal ing with the elderly. 3. Advertisement for key positions identified will be conducted in local newspapers--particularly those with a substantial minority readership. 4. Public service announcements will be produced on a periodic basis in the local media to ensure that all areas of the community are made aware of existing .. . . e vacancies and of the City of La Porte's commitment to affirmative action and equal employment opportunity. In an effort to fill a vacancy by providing upward mobil i ty for cu r rent employees incl ud ing minor"i. ty and female employees, initial c0n~~deration for job placement will be given to departmental applicants. If the pcsl1~ion cannot be filled from this source, then secondary consideration will Q.e .given .to ~EY La Porte employe~. Finally, if the position remains unfilled, it will then be available for any non-City applicant. All ind i vidual s be ing hi red for these pos i t ions (\-li th the exception of those in-house persons being considered during the departmental phase of advertisement) must be referred to the Human Resources Division for processing prior to any formal offer of employment by the department experiencing the vacancy. VII. DISSEMINATION OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN Copies of this Plan will be disseminated to all City of La Porte departmen ts and shall be placed in City of La Porte Policy and Procedures Manual. Any interested individual or agency or local group will be provided a copy of the Affirmative Action Plan upon written request. VIII. COMMUNICATION OF THE PLAN It shall be the responsibility of the administration of the City of La Porte to communicate both interna~ly and ext~rnally its Affirmative Action Plan. A. Internal communication shall be conducted through the following means: -- . e ,1. A letter from the City Hanager shall be sent to all employees introducing the Affirmative Action Plan. .2. Special employee meetings shall be held to discuss the program and answer questions. Special effort will be made to explain the program to every employee. 3. A memorandum along with a copy of the Affirmative Action plan shall be sent to all supervisors informing them of their general responsibilities regarding this plan. ~4. Affirmative Action shall be a topic of discussion at periodic staff meetings on at least a quarterly basis. ~.' 5. Per iod ic tra in ing sess ions and meetings will be held to explain and discuss the progress and ramifications of the Affirmative Action.Plan. 6. Equal Opportunity Employment posters and the policy statement shall be posted in obvious places in City offices and facilities. ! ,I 7. The Human Resources Division shall maintain an open door policy to all employees who have questions regarding this program. 8. Every employee shall be informed of the internal and external grievance procedures (TCHR, TDHR, EEOC), for handling compla~nts of discrimination. B. External communications shall be conducted through the following means: . . . " . .... e 1. Equal opportunity employment posters and the policy statement on affirmative action shall be posted in places of applicati.on for City employment. 2. All employment advertisement shall contain the words "An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer". /3. Employment application forms shall contain the above mentioned phrase. ,4. A letter of notification shall be sent to appropriate minority organizations and employcent sources informing them of the City's affirmative action policy, asking for their active cooperation. The letter shall also state these sources shall be properly notified of job openings. 5. A letter of notification boards, committees, established by the City, regarding any aspect administration informing Affirmative Action Plan support. , . " .; shall be sent to all and/or commissions that have authority of human resources them of the City's and soliciting their , '.