A. 
The purpose of Albany County's Affirmative Action Recruiting Program is to establish steps to improve the effectiveness of protected class recruitment for County competitive exams and noncompetitive, temporary, provisional, exempt labor positions.
(1) 
A directory of predominantly minority, women and handicapped group agencies and organizations shall be maintained at the Division of Affirmative Action Office.
(2) 
Job information shall be dispersed to those agencies and organizations listed in the above-referenced directory.
(3) 
Job advertisements shall be published in local newspapers and publications which reach minority groups, women and disabled persons.
(4) 
A job bank of the protected class shall be maintained in the County's Division of Affirmative Action Office.
(5) 
The Director of Affirmative Action will review County recruitment practices and selection procedures annually. As part of the centralization of human resources functions, the County intends to make these practices consistent throughout County government.
(6) 
All departments shall notify the Affirmative Action Office in advance of positions to be filled.
(7) 
Departments are required to notify the Affirmative Action Office in advance of filling vacancies that occur where no competitive examinations are required (Resolution No. 161 of 4-12-1993).
(8) 
The Director of Affirmative Action will provide the department heads with minority and protected class candidates when vacancies occur.
(9) 
The Committee to Fill Vacancies will consult with the Division of Affirmative Action when affirmative action plan procedures have not been followed.
B. 
Recruitment specifically for noncompetitive and exempt class employees. (See Resolution No. 161.)
(1) 
All vacancies that fall in the above categories.
(a) 
Affirmative Action must be given notice of the vacancy.
(b) 
A description of the job.
(c) 
At least three weeks' recruitment time.
(2) 
Prior to interview, Affirmative Action will forward resumes of qualified candidates to department heads or appropriate staff person.
(3) 
The interviewing department will:
(a) 
Provide a list of recommended candidates with resumes.
(b) 
Resumes of protected class candidates not recommended.
(c) 
Affirmative Action must sign off prior to commencement of interview process.
(4) 
Upon completion of the interview process the Affirmative Action Office will be notified of the recommended candidate on the appropriate form.
(a) 
Brief explanation of why the candidate was selected.
(b) 
Explanation of reasoning for rejection of other candidates.
(c) 
Affirmative Action must sign off prior to job offer.
(5) 
Forms will be completed to satisfy reporting procedures for Article II.
[1]
Editor's Note: See the Forms included in Attachment 2 to this chapter.
Selection and placement procedures shall be reviewed annually to assure that employment policies and job criteria are not culturally, racially or sexually biased and that job qualifications are relevant to job duties.
A. 
The Department of Human Resources shall review all job descriptions (at least once every five years) to eliminate all nonessential and unreasonable educational and experience requirements.
B. 
The Department of Human Resources shall review the County application forms periodically and update same to reflect compliance with the New York State Human Rights Law and various federal rulings.
C. 
The Department of Human Resources will review instances where employment requirements adversely affect the hiring of minorities, female and disabled persons which are not specifically job-related.
D. 
All civil service tests used as a basis to select from among candidates for hire, transfer, promotion and training shall be validated in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, as amended by the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972.
E. 
Procedures for promotional examinations and selection will be monitored to determine whether minorities, females and disabled persons are adversely affected, and revisions will be made if necessary.
F. 
The selection of applicants shall be based solely on the merit principle of nondiscrimination.
In order to ensure successful intergroup relations between the protected class, disabled employees and their supervisors so that all understand the special difficulties confronting disabled persons and those of a different race, culture or sex, emphasis shall be given on training to improve supervisors' sensitivity to these protected class employees, thereby enabling and developing a better work environment for all employees.
A. 
Seminars and training programs shall be developed, as needed, for all department heads and supervisors to review policies, practices and behaviors that promote and inhibit equal employment opportunities.
B. 
The Division of Affirmative Action can provide individualized guidance to department heads and supervisors in resolving intergroup conflicts which may arise.
C. 
Special efforts will be made to acquaint the department heads and supervisors with the fact that women and disabled persons cannot be excluded from jobs because of nonmerit factors, but must be judged solely on their individual ability to perform the job.