Equal Employment Opportunity Plan

Prepared by
Human Resources Department
December 2004
 

Table of Contents

1. Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
2. EEO Plan Responsibilities
3. Communication of EEO Plan
4. Analysis and Reporting
5. Questions or Comments about the EEO Plan

2004 Appendix to EEO Plan [PDF]
2005 Appendix to EEO Plan [PDF]
2006 Appendix to EEO Plan [PDF]
2007 Appendix to EEO Plan [PDF]

Equal Employment Opportunity Plan

1. Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
    
   1. The Town of Normal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Town encourages and fosters the employment of all properly qualified persons regardless of age, race, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, religion, political opinion or affiliation, mental or physical disability, marital status, matriculation, sexual orientation, or unfavorable discharge from military service, as those terms may be defined in the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Town of Normal Chapter 18 of the Normal Municipal Code on Personnel, or Chapter 24 of the Normal Municipal Code on Human Relations. This policy applies to all terms and conditions, and privileges of employment, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists.
       
   2. This EEO Plan is the instrument for ensuring the Town’s EEO policy, as adopted by the Normal Town Council in Chapters 18 Personnel and 24 Human Relations of the Municipal Code, is implemented. Since the Town of Normal is a creation of its citizens for the common good of its citizens, it is the goal of the Town to achieve a level of diversity in our employment that is at least proportional to the diversity found within the Bloomington-Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area general or labor market population, whichever is greater. The Town’s Human Resources staff will review the Town’s policies and practices to assure that the recruitment and selection process removes any barriers that tend to negatively impact females and minorities in the recruitment and selection process. Management staff will embrace and vigorously support the Town’s EEO policy and goals of achieving a diverse work force and encourage the same through their supervisors and employees since only a total team effort can assure success.
       
   3. The Town of Normal believes that an effective equal employment opportunity plan cannot be passive. We must be receptive and willing to be aggressive in both the identification, and the elimination, of inequitable policies, practices and procedures that could result in unlawful employment discrimination and the continued misrepresentation of diversity within our work force. An effective equal employment opportunity plan benefits everyone, at all levels of our work force, in the full utilization of the talents, resources, and skills of all of our employees and citizens; as well as the positive message of fair treatment of our employees and our citizens within our community.
       
2. EEO Plan Responsibilities
    
   1. The City Manager is the sole hiring authority for the Town of Normal. The Manager, then, is ultimately responsible for the implementation and success of the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan. The Manager may use his authority to delegate certain duties to others.
       
   2. The Manager will review reports reflecting the results of the Town’s success in accomplishing its EEO goals and authorize the changes or actions necessary to positively impact the Town’s ability to achieve its goals.
       
   3. The Manager shall inform Department heads and other management personnel that their work performance will be evaluated, in part, on the basis of their EEO efforts and results as well as other criteria.
       
   4. The Human Resources Director (HR) shall attempt to establish, maintain or modify, an applicant and employee EEO data collection system from which results may be analyzed and monitored to assess goal achievement on a Town-wide basis and at the Department or Division level. This data collection system must include:
      1. Recruitment and selection;
      2. Promotions;
      3. Transfers;
      4. Disciplinary action; and
      5. Terminations and discharge from employment.
          
   5. The HR Director shall recommend to the Manager necessary policy changes or changes to current recruitment methods or selection practices.
       
   6. The HR Director shall also recommend to the Manager the necessary training of Department Heads, Supervisors, and the general employee population, that will aid in achieving the goal of a diverse population under our Equal Employment Opportunity policy.
       
   7. Department Heads shall monitor and evaluate their supervisory personnel on the basis of the results achieved in creating a more diverse work force through employee selection.
       
   8. Department Heads shall monitor their supervisory personnel to recognize and discipline supervisors who engage in practices or behavior that are inappropriate for the work place, that tend to discriminate against applicants, co-workers, or guests, or create a hostile work place based on the Town’s EEO policy.
       
   9. Department Heads and Supervisors shall aid in achieving our goal of a diverse employee population by recognizing and disciplining employees who engage in practices or behavior that are in appropriate for the work place, that tend to discriminate against co-workers or create a hostile work place based on the Town’s EEO policy.
       
   10. Department Heads and Supervisors shall receive training that will aid and guide them in the selection of qualified employees based on merit and not on discriminatory or unimportant factors.
        
   11. Employees shall aid in the Town’s EEO efforts by behaving professionally while at work and avoiding words or behaviors that are inappropriate for the work place or that tend to discriminate against co-workers, residents or guests; or create a hostile work place based on the Town’s EEO policy.
        
3. Communication of EEO Plan
    
   1. The Town’s EEO Plan, the goal of achieving a diverse work force, and EEO policy shall be disseminated to all Town employees in various employee communications.
       
      1. The Manager shall periodically discuss or remind management staff of the importance of achieving the Town’s EEO goals and ensure a vigorous implementation and application of the EEO Plan and policy.
          
      2. The Manager shall describe or discuss the Towns’ EEO Plan, policy and goals, and positive need for diversity in our work force in the Manager’s column of the Town’s employee newsletter or other part of the employee newsletter.
          
      3. The Manager shall ensure that the subject of diversity, the Town’s EEO Plan and policy are included in management and supervisory training programs and staff retreats.
          
      4. The Manager shall inform the Presidents of labor associations of Town employees of the Town’s EEO Plan and policy.
          
      5. The Manager shall work toward including, or maintaining, a non-discrimination clause in all collective bargaining agreements. Nor shall the contractual provisions contain any unlawfully discriminatory language, practices or procedures.
          
      6. HRD shall inform new regular employees during their new employee orientation.
          
      7. HRD shall post a notice of the Town’s EEO policy in conspicuous locations for employees to see; and, periodically visit work sites to ensure that the Town’s EEO policy notice is posted as well as all required postings of federal and state employment laws.
          
      8. HRD shall ensure that the Town’s EEO policy remains prominently included in the Town’s Personnel Code and that the EOE designation is included in appropriate brochures or documents concerned with recruitment, hiring practices, and benefits.
          
      9. HRD shall ensure that all job postings; announcements or advertisements (on the Internet, radio, television or print ads) will include a statement or EOE designation that the Town of Normal is an equal opportunity employer.
          
      10. HRD shall ensure that the Employment page of the Town’s Internet website and the Town’s Intranet prominently display the Town as an equal opportunity employer.
           
      11. Department heads and supervisory personnel will be required to conduct periodic meetings in inform their employees of the existence of the EEO Plan and establish individual employee responsibilities for implementing the plan. Each Department head will document the information provided and the names of employees in attendance. The Department heads will compile this information in written report and forward to the HR Director.
           
      12. The Manager, HR Director, Department heads or Supervisors shall make a good faith effort that published articles, pictures, advertising, employee handbooks, program publications, or other similar publications, contain photographs of the breadth of diversity of all Town employees or our citizens.
           
   2. The Town’s EEO Plan, the goal of achieving a diverse work force, and EEO policy shall be disseminated to the public in the following manner.
       
      1. The Town’s Internet website prominently displays the Town as an equal opportunity employer on its homepage and the EEO Plan should be prominently added to the Town’s website for Internet access by the public.
          
      2. When employees or our citizens are featured in published articles, pictures, advertising, employee handbooks, program publications, or other similar publications, a good faith effort shall be made to include the breadth of the diversity of all Town employees or our citizens.
          
      3. The Normal Public Library shall receive a copy of the Town’s EEO Plan for access by patrons of the Library.
          
      4. The Town Clerk shall receive a copy for public access to the EEO Plan through the Town Clerk’s Office.
          
      5. State and Federal regulatory agencies shall have access to the EEO Plan upon request.
          
      6. Recruitment sources shall have access to the EEO Plan upon request.
          
      7. The Manager, HR Director and all Department heads and Supervisors shall inform other groups or persons through their personal contacts, associations, and outside organizations, of the Town’s EEO Plan, policy and goals as may be appropriate.
          
4. Analysis and Reporting
    
   1. A report on the steps taken to achieve the Town’s goal of a diverse work force and the performance of the Town toward achieving its EEO goals and policy shall be prepared by the HR Director and submitted to the City Manager within three months of the end of each fiscal year. The analysis and reporting shall include a review of:
      1. Recruitment and selection;
      2. Promotions;
      3. Transfers;
      4. Disciplinary action; and
      5. Terminations and discharge from employment.
          
   2. The EEO Plan, annual reports, and the EEO-4 Report will also be available upon request to any State or Federal agencies that are seeking a review of the Town’s compliance efforts as part of any grant requirements or as part of an investigation of a complaint of unlawful discrimination.
       
5. Questions or Comments about the EEO Plan
   
   Questions or comments concerning the Town of Normal’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, policy or goals, may be directed toward the City Manager or the Human Resources Director.

Signed by City Manager Mark R. Peterson on January 7, 2005.

This page last modified 05/08/08.