[1]
Prior legislation: Resos. 3506, 4003.
A. 
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 deals with equal employment opportunity and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 extended the requirements of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to state and local governments.
B. 
"Affirmative action" describes a program or a set of policies and procedures under which equal employment opportunity may be achieved. The term "affirmative action" implies positive action. Therefore, the Affirmative Action Plan is a specific set of procedures taken to eliminate discriminatory practices in all county employment. The purpose of the plan is to allow all employees and applicants for employment equal employment opportunity, regardless of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
The affirmative action policy of Cowlitz County as set forth in Resolution No. 4003 dated February 4, 1975 is as follows:
We affirm that it will be the established policy of Cowlitz County in recruiting, hiring, transfer, promotions, compensation, benefits, and/or County sponsored training, education, and tuition assistance, social, recreation, and health programs, and all lay-off and return from lay-off practices be without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
Elected officials and department heads will be responsible to comply with the Affirmative Action Plan/Program in each of their respective departments. The Director of Human Resources will be responsible to implement and maintain the Affirmative Action Plan for Cowlitz County. The Director of Human Resources will assume the following duties:
A. 
The Director will work with elected officials and department heads towards eliminating artificial barriers to employment and promotion, especially those barriers which discourage and deter women and minorities.
B. 
The Director will recommend to the Board of County Commissioners implementation of rules and regulations to be consistent with the Affirmative Action Plan.
C. 
The Director will monitor, audit and evaluate the Affirmative Action Plan on a regular basis.
D. 
The Director will prepare the bi-annual EEO-4 Report and submit it to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
E. 
The Director will report to the Board of County Commissioners upon completion of the EEO-4 Report and will keep the County Commissioners informed of developments and progress of the Affirmative Action Plan.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999; Res. 12-013HR § 2, 1-17-2012)
Job analysis is an orderly approach to documenting what a job consists of. Every county position will have a written job description which realistically and accurately describes the tasks performed and the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform them. The purpose of job analysis and written job descriptions is to eliminate arbitrary requirements which act as a barrier to employment.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
Written, oral or performance tests will be direct and correctly related to important tasks performed on the job. Test questions which do not relate to the work to be performed will not be asked. Applicants will not be asked to demonstrate ability to perform tasks other than those required to perform the job.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
During the probationary period of employment, it is the responsibility of the department heads (or the elected official) and the supervisor with diligent effort to see that the new employee receives adequate training and assistance for them to succeed. It is the responsibility of the probationary employee to demonstrate ability to perform, and to be dependable.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
The Human Resources Department will actively promote employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999; Res. 12-013HR § 3, 1-17-2012)
A. 
The Human Resources Department will be notified of all job openings.
B. 
A job description listing abilities and skills required will be posted on two bulletin boards in the Administration Building and the Hall of Justice indicating a closing date to receive applications.
C. 
The position will be advertised in the local newspaper and may be advertised in newspapers of larger circulation.
D. 
The Employment Security Office will be notified of the opening.
E. 
Reasonable attempts to contact applicants are considered sufficient effort.
F. 
The Minority Affairs Director of Lower Columbia College will be notified of the opening.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999; Res. 12-013HR § 4, 1-17-2012)
Interviews may be conducted in accordance with the selection process by elected officials, department heads or their appointed representative. The date of the interview and the interviewers initials will be noted on the application.
A. 
Interview questions will be based on work experience, skills and abilities. Questions that are not job related will be avoided.
B. 
During the interview(s), the applicant will be given an opportunity to read the job description if he or she has not already done so. The applicant will also be given the opportunity to ask questions.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
The selection process will be made as follows: The Human Resources Department will collect all applications until after the closing date to receive applications. All of the applications will be given to the department head or to his/her appointed representative, to choose the candidates to be interviewed for the position or the department head may request the Human Resources Department to screen the applications according to the minimum qualifications. The final choice of the employee will be made by the department head, elected official or appointed representative.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999; Res. 12-013HR § 5, 1-17-2012)
A. 
Seasonal, part-time and extra help employees, who have been employed by Cowlitz County in the past, may be hired for the same type of work in the future, and are exempt from making application and interview requirements as long as an up-to-date application is on file in the Personnel Department.
B. 
Recruitment, interview and selection of seasonal, part-time and extra help employees will be the same as mentioned in this chapter, if it is believed the position may become full-time work within one year from the date of hire.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
A. 
When an opening occurs, the department head or elected official in charge of that department will consider filling the position by promotion within the staff presently employed.
B. 
Employees of Cowlitz County, especially women and minorities, are encouraged to apply by proper application for open positions. It is natural that employees will want to be promoted to receive job status, better pay or to perform different tasks. If any employee of Cowlitz County does apply for an open position, then no discrimination against said employee will take place because of said application. Cowlitz County employees applying for open positions will be treated on an equal basis as other applicants applying for the position. However, special consideration may be shown to minorities and women applying for positions in underutilized classifications.
C. 
Underutilization will be determined by the Director of Human Resources or his authorized representative.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999; Res. 12-013HR § 6, 1-17-2012)
A grievance arising from the implementation of the Affirmative Action Plan should follow the steps listed in the current union agreements, depending upon the employee's particular union.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
Exhibit "A" represents an analysis of County job classifications by sex and race. Exhibit "B" is a comparison of statistical information based on the 1990 Census showing the minorities labor force and the white civilian labor force compared to the minorities labor force. Cowlitz County employs 21 minority employees at this time classified as follows:
A. 
Breakdown by Job Classification.
Three officials and administrators;
Four professional;
One technician;
Six protective service;
Two para-professional;
Five administrative support.
B. 
Breakdown by Race.
Twelve Hispanic;
Five Asian Pacific Islander;
Two American Indian;
Two black.
C. 
Breakdown by Sex.
Eleven males;
Ten females.
Exhibit A
Job Classification Information for Full-Time Employees of Cowlitz County ending 9/29/97
Source EEO-4 Report 9/29/97
Updated 5/12/99
MALES
FEMALES
JOB CLASSIFICATION
WH
B
BL
C
His
D
A/PI
E
AI
F
WH
G
BL
H
His
I
A/PI
J
AI
K
TOTAL
Officials and Administrators*
28
1
1
1
12
43
Professionals
37
1
1
31
1
1
72
Technicians
40
1
41
82
Protective Services
70
1
2
27
2
1
103
Para-Professionals
2
2
6
10
Office Clerical
3
138
3
2
146
Skilled Craft
38
38
Service/Maintenance
47
9
56
TOTAL
265
2
6
1
2
264
6
4
550
*Excluding elected officials
Exhibit B
Cowlitz County Minorities Labor Force
The source of these statistics is the LMEA website for affirmative action planning:
http:\www.wa.gov\esd\lmea\pubs\\affirm\reslab\rcowlitz.htm (5/12/99)
Males
Females
Total
Hispanic
560
340
900
Employed
520
320
840
Unemployed
40
20
60
Percentage Unemployed
7.1%
5.9%
6.7%
Blacks
70
50
120
Employed
50
40
90
Unemployed
20
10
30
Percentage Unemployed
28%
20%
25%
Native American
630
390
1,020
Employed
540
350
890
Unemployed
90
40
130
Percentage Unemployed
14.3%
10.3%
12.7%
Asian and Pacific Islander
410
340
750
Employed
370
310
680
Unemployed
40
30
70
Percentage Unemployed
9.8%
8.8%
9.3%
White Civilian Labor Force to Minorities Labor Force
Total Civilian Labor Force
41,280
Total White Labor Force
38,490
Total Hispanic Labor Force
900
Total Asian/Pacific Islander Labor Force
750
Total Black Labor Force
120
Total American Indian Labor Force
1,020
Total Minorities Labor Force
1,890
Percentage of Minorities Labor Force to Total Civilian Labor Force
4.6%
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
It is our goal to continue to make all job opportunities open to all who are interested and qualified without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)
The purpose of this chapter is to support the equal employment opportunity laws. This jurisdiction is anxious to insure equal employment opportunity to all job applicants and county employees. There has been an attempt to identify responsibilities on the part of department heads, their appointed representatives and the employee in fulfilling this goal. This Affirmative Action Plan has been developed and will be implemented to insure Cowlitz County is doing its part toward equal employment opportunity.
(Res. 99-086, 5-24-1999)