As outlined in Executive Order 93-20, each state agency with a total workforce of 50 (or more) full time employees is required to submit an annual Equal Opportunity Plan.  This plan consists of a policy statement, hiring summary, workforce analysis chart, barrier analysis, and strategic action plan. 

An orientation session is offered to guide the Equal Employment Opportunity Liaison through the process and become reacquainted with each component of the equal opportunity plan and responsibilities in their role as a liaison.

• Hiring, placement, promotion, transfer or demotion
• Recruitment, advertising, and all solicitation for employment
• Treatment during employment
• Rates of pay or other forms of compensation
• Selection for education and training
• Layoff, termination or reinstatement
• State service examination process

A hiring summary is created by the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) housed within the Human Resources division of the Department of Administration.  During the hiring process, each employee is asked to voluntarily submit demographic information indicating race, gender, disability status, and veteran status.  At the end of the calendar year, this data is extrapolated to report the demographic profile of new hires and agency transfers.  

An agency transfer is recorded when a personnel action is entered into HRIS that results in a change to the first two characters of an employee’s process level.  The personnel actions are limited to effective dates between January 1st and December 31st.  If an employee changes process levels (agencies) more than one within the year, each transfer is recorded on behalf of the new agency. 

Each agency is also requested to provide information regarding the status of any existing diversity plan and cultural competency policy.  A diversity plan is any set of activities that a state agency conducts to review employment practices as they affect all categories of employees.  This planning activity involves senior management who review ‘best practices’ in recruitment, retention, training, promotion, and discipline as it affects all employees.  This planning activity may involve a Diversity Committee or Diversity Council that reviews employment practices of the agency to determine if fundamental fairness is being accomplished.  A cultural competence policy is a statement or vision by a state agency that focuses on policies or practices by agency professionals and their effectiveness in cross cultural situations.  Cultural competence includes awareness and acceptance of difference, awareness of one’s own cultural values and those of others, and applied understanding of the dynamics of difference, and openness to the ongoing development of cultural knowledge, and the ability to adapt these skills to fit the cultural context of the agency client or customer. 

The State of Arizona is required to submit the state and Local Government Information Survey (EEO-4) to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) during odd numbered years. 

This report (XP391) is produced with data from the State Human Resource Information System and provides detailed information regarding each state agency workforce by job category.  As of September 2008, the job categories reported on the XP391 are as follows: Officials and Administrators, Professionals, Technicians, Protective Service, Paraprofessionals, Administrative Support, Skilled Craft Workers and Service-Maintenance Workers.  The full time employees for each job category are then categorized by race and gender.

Employees who have declined to voluntarily provide their ethnicity are excluded from this report. 

Based on the XP391, the workforce analysis chart identifies areas of parity using the, “4/5th Rule” or “80% Rule”, a measure utilized by the federal government for state and local governments to identify (and research) the existence of adverse impacts.  Adverse impact is usually indicated when the selection rate is less than 80% of the civilian labor workforce (based on the census data). 

For example, the 2000 census indicates that the total civilian labor force (CLF) of 2.4 Million people who were 16 years (or older), willing and able to work.  Of the 331, 990 people who reported to work as an Official/Administrator, 7,330 were Asian (men and women) creating a CLF of 2.2%.

7330 / 331990 =  .022 or 2.2%

Under the “4/5th Rule” or “80% Rule”, 80% of 2.2% is 1.7%

.022 x .8 = .017 or 1.7%

If Agency XYZ had 7 Officials/Administrators and 1 was Asian, that would create an internal CLF of 14.3%, which meets (or exceeds) parity of 2.2%.  If there were no representation of Asians among the 7 Officials/Administrators the internal CLF would be 0.0%, which does not meet the 2.2% and identifies an area of adverse impact. 

The analysis considers the utilization of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Non-Minorities, men and women. 

After reviewing areas of adverse impact, a barrier analysis is completed by the state agency.  This analysis provides an opportunity for each agency to reflect on hiring practices and recruitment strategies completed during the previous calendar year.

Each agency lists the specific areas of adverse impact by EEO law protected group and job category with a possible solution on what problems and barriers exist to prevent parity.  For example, extensive resources may have been dedicated for recruitment to a specific community group, but no applications were received as a result of those efforts.  Other recruitment strategies may include a broad approach geared to the public at large but this strategy may not attract candidates from under-represented groups.  The agency’s barrier analysis is a statement of the source of the challenge being experienced. 

The strategic action plan outlines the agency’s future plan on promoting equal opportunity and creating an inclusive work environment to enable all individuals to perform at their fullest potential free from discrimination.

The strategic action plan focuses on five strategies:

• Enhance diversity through recruitment and selection
• Retain workforce diversity by instituting welcoming environment practices, and by providing support systems and opportunities for professional growth and career enhancement
• Reduce employment barriers for people with disabilities
• Provide services that are more culturally sensitive
• Create an infrastructure for performance accountability

The Governor’s Office of Equal Opportunity provides suggestions for consideration.  However, the goals, objectives and activities to implement these strategies are at the discretion of the Agency Director.

A semi-annual follow up on the strategic action plan is conducted each summer. 

The EEO Liaison serves as an initial point of contact for the Governor’s Office of Equal Opportunity.  It is the expectation that the EEO Liaison monitors agency EEO compliance, produce and submit the annual equal employment opportunity plan on behalf of the agency, respond to inquires related to workforce development, and participate in the process to resolve any complaints that relate to employment discrimination.

The EEO Liaison is extended opportunities to become a trained mediator (with agency prior approval) to resolve internal grievances through the mediation process and training courses regarding equal employment opportunity.

The EEO Liaison also receives (and distributes) training announcements throughout their respective agencies to ensure that all state employees have access to training opportunities provided by the Governor’s Office of Equal Opportunity.