[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 1]
(a)
The City of Poughkeepsie reaffirms its commitment to provide equal
opportunity for all persons employed by or seeking employment with
the city without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national
origin or handicap unrelated to job performance.
(b)
The city and its Common Council believe that nondiscrimination has
been and continues to be the guidepost for its employment policies
and practices. But the city also recognizes that to maintain its commitment
to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action must be undertaken
to ensure that qualified members of minority groups have a realistic
opportunity to become part of the city's work force. Meaningful affirmative
action requires the city to increase its minority recruiting efforts
significantly.
(c)
The city's affirmative action program will be based on four significant
points:
(1)
An expanded recruitment effort shall be undertaken to increase the
availability of qualified minority persons for city employment;
(2)
Department heads and supervisors will be advised of the city's equal
employment commitment and of their responsibility to fully implement
this policy;
(3)
An internal complaint procedure shall be established for those employees
and job applicants who allege discriminatory conduct by the city;
and
(4)
A work force analysis will be undertaken to help achieve equal employment
objectives.
[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 2]
(a)
The city recognizes that to achieve a pool of qualified minority
applicants for city employment, the city must expand its recruiting
outreach efforts. A variety of community recruiting sources will be
contacted, and the city's equal employment opportunity objectives
explained to these organizations. No list can be complete, but it
is contemplated that colleges and schools, community organizations,
job referral centers and papers and radio stations will also be advised
of the city's affirmative action goals.
(b)
The city will take the following steps to disseminate its equal employment
policy:
(1)
The City of Poughkeepsie shall communicate to all prospective employees
the existence of the city's affirmative action programs.
(2)
The city's advertising which features employees will include minorities
and women to the extent possible.
(3)
The City of Poughkeepsie will provide written notification of the
city's policy to all contractors, subcontractors, vendors and suppliers
and request appropriate action on their part consistent with this
policy.
(4)
All recruitment sources will be notified of the city's equal employment
opportunity and affirmative action policy. They will be asked to refer
actively minority, female, handicapped and veteran candidates.
(5)
All help-wanted advertisements will state that the City of Poughkeepsie
is an equal employment opportunity employer.
(6)
Unions will be advised of the policy, and their cooperation will
be requested. The city will seek advice from the unions on how the
policy may be implemented effectively.
(7)
The city will publicize its policy by including examples of employment
of minority, female and handicapped persons (for example, by the use
of photographs in annual reports, city publications and advertisements).
(8)
The city will display posters stating its policy at interviewing
and hiring locations.
[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 3]
An equal employment opportunity policy cannot be fully effective
unless all city employees are aware of and encourage the implementation
of that policy. To help achieve this result, the plan will be distributed
to every city-operated department for ready reference. In addition,
the following actions will be undertaken:
(a)
The City Administrator and equal employment opportunity officer will
ensure that periodic meetings with management personnel are conducted
to explain the intent of our affirmative action policy and each individual's
responsibility for its effective implementation, making clear the
city's commitment to affirmative action and equal employment opportunity.
(b)
All employee orientation programs will include discussions of the
city's affirmative action policy.
(c)
Where appropriate, the city will publish articles covering affirmative
action programs, progress reports and promotions of minority and female
and handicapped employees.
(d)
The city's affirmative action policy will be communicated periodically
to all nonmanagement employees. These presentations will explain how
city employees can avail themselves of program benefits and afford
employees an opportunity to discuss the program.
(e)
The city's equal employment opportunity policy and equal employment
opportunity posters shall be posted on city bulletin boards.
(f)
Management and other employees engaged in employment, placement and
transfer decisions will receive additional training on the applicable
local, state and federal equal employment opportunity laws and affirmative
action regulations.
(g)
Management and supervisory personnel shall be encouraged by the Common
Council and City Administrator to enroll in City of Poughkeepsie-sponsored
affirmative action training classes which may be developed to provide
in-depth coverage of the city's affirmative action program and to
discuss management/supervisory responsibilities in implementing the
program.
(h)
The city's equal employment opportunity/affirmative action policy
will be included in employee handbooks and personnel policy manuals.
(i)
The city's newsletters, magazines or other publications will publicize
the city's equal employment opportunity/affirmative action policy
and illustrate the presence of minorities and women in various city
jobs.
[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 4; amended 2-19-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2019]
The responsibility section of this plan outlines the duties
of management, supervisory personnel, the Human Resources Department
and the equal employment opportunity/affirmative action office in
the implementation of this affirmative action program.
(a)
Poughkeepsie Common Council. The City of Poughkeepsie's
Common Council has committed the city to a policy of equal employment
opportunity and pledges to continue to encourage the attainment of
affirmative action objectives.
(b)
City Administrator. The City Administrator shall
be responsible for ensuring that equal employment opportunity is a
reality for every person and that all affirmative action objectives
are being met in all of the city departments. Further, the City Administrator
shall be responsible for consulting with the equal employment opportunity
office concerning goals for job groups in the departments and providing
appropriate assistance so that full implementation can be realized
in every city department.
(c)
Department heads. Department heads are responsible
for:
(1)
Working actively and cooperatively with the City Administrator and
the equal employment opportunity (EEO) office to coordinate and implement
this policy in order to ensure that equal employment opportunity is
a reality in the department.
(2)
Establishing affirmative action goals and timetables, with the assistance
of the EEO office and, in consultation with the appropriate union,
for recruiting, hiring and promoting minorities and women into job
groups currently underutilizing them.
(3)
Reviewing on a semiannual basis the progress the department is making
toward affirmative action objectives. This review is to be in report
form and given to the equal employment opportunity office and the
City Administrator.
(d)
Department of Human Resources. The Department of
Human Resources shall receive all notices of job vacancies from all
departments with job descriptions, giving minimum qualifications and
duties that are job related. All job recruitment for vacancies shall
be processed through the Department of Human Resources. The Department
of Human Resources shall receive and post all job applications. The
Department of Human Resources also shall arrange job interviews with
all city department heads and complete appropriate applications of
persons interviewed for employment. All applications must be returned
to and kept in the Department of Human Resources. The Department of
Human Resources shall coordinate all vacancies, recruiting, job selection,
promotions, training, layoffs and terminations with the equal employment
opportunity office. The Department of Human Resources shall be responsible
for ensuring that the City of Poughkeepsie's equal employment opportunity
policy is communicated to all job applicants. The department will
regularly meet with the EEO office to review the effectiveness of
the city's plan and will enlist the cooperation and active support
of the EEO office.
[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 5]
This section of the affirmative action plan provides information
which clarifies additional actions required of the City of Poughkeepsie's
management, department heads and other supervisory personnel in executing
the basic policy statement.
(a)
Recruiting.
(1)
As mentioned earlier in this plan, all recruiting sources used will
be notified, in writing, of the City of Poughkeepsie's desire to recruit
more minorities and women, especially for higher-level positions in
the city departments. This process will be repeated at least once
a year.
(2)
Sources of minority group and female applicants in the city and county
will be identified. These sources will be contacted (at least annually)
so that they remain aware of the City of Poughkeepsie's policy and
can assist in filling the city's employment needs.
(3)
Employment advertising will contain the phrase "An Equal Opportunity
Employer."
(4)
Employment ads will appear in the male/female column in the newspaper.
Employment agencies used by the city must also conform to this requirement.
(5)
Employment advertising will be placed in minority and female publications
where appropriate.
(6)
Job orders will be placed only with employment agencies which comply
fully with fair employment practices.
(7)
Periodic reviews (at least annually) of recruiting sources will be
made by the equal employment opportunity office and documented to
discover which sources do not refer minority or female applicants.
If such practices occur, appropriate action will be taken by the city.
(8)
Periodic reviews will he made by the equal employment opportunity
officer to ensure that the City of Poughkeepsie is recruiting and
interviewing minorities and females for vacancies at all department
levels.
(9)
Minority and female employees will be actively encouraged by the
equal employment opportunity officer, Personnel Department and department
heads to refer applicants.
(10)
Recruiting materials will be developed and revised periodically
to ensure that a message of equality of opportunity is emphasized.
(11)
All personnel involved in the recruiting, screening and related
processes should be trained to ensure elimination of unlawful bias
in all personnel actions.
(12)
The City of Poughkeepsie will participate in career days organized
for minorities and women to the maximum extent possible.
[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 6]
This section of the plan sets forth city procedures for filing
internal complaints based on alleged unlawful discrimination in city
employment. Any city employee or applicant for employment with the
city who believes that he or she has been discriminated against by
the city based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age
or handicap may file a written complaint to resolve the matter.
(a)
In the case of city employee-initiated complaint, the procedure shall
be as follows:
(1)
The city employee should first discuss the employee's complaint with
the immediate job supervisor in the employee's department. This procedure
will afford the job supervisor an opportunity to review the concerns
of the employee and determine a fair solution to the problem at this
stage.
(2)
If within seven days of receiving a written complaint the job supervisor
has not resolved the matter to the satisfaction of the employee, the
employee, in writing, may request the department head to review the
complaint.
(3)
If the matter has not been resolved to the satisfaction of the employee
by the department within seven days of submission of the complaint
to the department head, the employee may submit a written request
for review to the City Administrator. Upon receipt of such request
for review, the City Administrator shall provide a copy of the request
to the equal employment opportunity officer who shall promptly conduct
an informal review of the matter and submit a written recommendation
for resolving the complaint to the City Administrator. The City Administrator
shall resolve the complaint within a reasonable time of receipt of
the written recommendation. The City Administrator, in his sole discretion,
may conduct an informal hearing concerning the matter only if the
City Administrator determines that such hearing is likely to significantly
assist him in resolving the complaint. The City Administrator's written
resolution shall be the final City disposition of the matter. The
seven-day time limits noted may be extended with the consent of the
complainant, but not to exceed, in each level, 30 days.
(b)
In the case of an applicant-initiated complaint, the procedure shall
be as follows: An applicant shall file a written complaint alleging
unlawful employment discrimination with the Personnel Department.
Upon receipt of the complaint, the Personnel Department shall send
a copy to the equal employment opportunity officer. In consultation
with the EEO officer, the Personnel Department shall resolve the matter
within 14 days of receiving the complaint, which period may be extended
up to 30 days with the consent of the applicant. If the applicant
is not satisfied with the Personnel Department's resolution of the
complaint, the applicant within 30 days may file a written request
for review with the City Administrator. Within a reasonable time,
the City Administrator shall send a written resolution of the matter
to the applicant which shall be the final city disposition of the
complaint. The City Administrator, in his sole discretion, may conduct
an informal hearing concerning the matter only if the City Administrator
determines that such hearing is likely to significantly assist him
in resolving the complaint.
[Ord. of 4-13-1982, § 7]
The City will review the effectiveness of the plan periodically.
If necessary, the plan will be modified or expanded to ensure achievement
of the goals set forth in the policy statement.
