EEO Plan

Policy Statement

The County of Centre has been, is, and will continue to be, committed to the principle that equal employment opportunity in the public sector of the County must be afforded to all persons, regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, medical condition, mental or physical disability as required by applicable federal and state laws. No persons shall suffer discrimination with respect to employment or other terms or conditions of employment by reason of such person's status as enumerated above.

The County of Centre recognizes that equal employment opportunity may be ensured only by a carefully administered and practiced program designed to eliminate any practices, standards or conditions tending to result in discrimination, and by initiating positive efforts in recruitment, examination, selection, promotion, pay, and training procedures to extend equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without limiting, segregating, or classifying employees and applicants for employment in any way which would deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise affect his or her status as an employee because of such individual's race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, medical condition, mental, or physical disability.

Objectives

  • To achieve equality of employment opportunities for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, medical condition, or mental or physical disability in accordance with federal and state laws and county ordinance.
  • To remove any artificial, arbitrary or unnecessary barriers to employment which operate to discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, medical condition or mental or physical disability.
  • To increase employment opportunities of all qualified persons by eliminating non-job related factors, conditions and requirements from any job vacancies.
  • To evaluate the County's personnel activities to ensure compliance with state and federal employment regulations.

Scope

  • The scope of this Equal Employment Opportunity Program will encompass all phases of personnel management including, but not limited to, recruitment, examination, selection, promotion, compensation, and training.
  • The County Director of Human Resources will oversee a program of outreach recruitment of qualified minorities for County employment and endeavor to attract such persons informing them of available employment opportunities. He or she will further ensure that all examinations and personnel actions do not result in unlawful discrimination.
  • Each department head will post the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan on the employee bulletin board enabling employees to avail themselves of its benefits; and he/she will endeavor to obtain the understanding and cooperation of all employees in the Plan's implementation and ongoing maintenance. Departmental heads will notify the Director of Human Resources of any positions identified for which nonessential qualifications might discourage the employment of protected group members. All department heads will be responsible for implementing, practicing, and ensuring equal employment opportunity within his/her department and will be held accountable in his/her formal performance evaluation by the County Administrator and/or the Board of Commissioners.
  • The Office of Human Resources shall be available to explain the purposes and objectives of the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan to all County employees.

Administration

  • Under the general direction of the Board of Commissioners, the County of Centre's Director of Human Resources shall be responsible for the overall coordination of this program of Equal Employment Opportunity. The Director of Human Resources shall periodically monitor and analyze Centre County employment patterns in accordance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan adopted by the Board of Commissioners.
  • All department heads and County agencies shall cooperate with the Director of Human Resources and the Board of Commissioners in the continued implementation of this program.
  • This program of Equal Opportunity may be amended as needed by a majority vote of the Board of Commissioners.
  • Any employee or applicant for employment with Centre County who believes he/she has suffered discrimination on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition or disability and is in violation of the policies set forth herein is encouraged to bring such claim to the attention of the Director of Human Resources. Any employee of Centre County who fails to comply with this policy is subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

As the Director of Human Resources, Centre County, I hereby direct that this plan shall be implemented in accordance with the County's Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, as adopted by the Board of Commissioners on October 16, 2008.