City Council Recommendations

• Update on City’s plan to achieve inclusion and diversity in the City’s workforce
• Pass a motion directing staff to provide an annual report regarding diversity and equity initiatives implemented and providing updated information regarding the city’s workforce composition.
• Resolution supporting efforts to help close the gender wage gap.
• Require Diversity and Equity Manager and Independent Budget Analyst to product an annual report on gender composition and outline any pay equity initiatives undertaken by the city of Sacramento.
• Identify and commit to implementing recommended best practices identified to close the gender wage gap. The City Council Resolves as follows:

The City of Sacramento supports gender equity initiatives to help close the gender wage gap through the following actions:

Section 1:

The City of Sacramento supports gender equity initiatives to help close the gender wage gap through the following actions:

1. Identify gender equity issues,collect data internally and understand the root causes of inequity within the organization.
2. Identify gender equity issues, collect data internally and understand the root causes of inequity within the organization;
3. Implement best-practice solutions and monitor progress;
4. Share best practices and success with other organizations;

Section 2:

The City of Sacramento, through the Diversity and Equity Manager and the Independent Budget Analyst, with input from the City of Sacramento Women’s Leadership Group, will work collaboratively to produce an annual report on gender composition and outline pay equity  initiatives undertaken  by the City of Sacramento.

Section 3:

The City of Sacramento will identify and commit to implementing recommended best practices identified to close the gender wage gap including but not limited to;

1. Providing mentorship and networking opportunities
2. Requiring training to acknowledge and overcome implicit bias
3. Examining local paid family leave policies
4. Creating and generating awareness of programs that confer employee schedule control, including flex programs
5. Mentoring women for leadership positions
6. Providing structural support to move women up the organizational pipeline

Councilmember Ashby owned and presented the gender wage gap  item.

Mayor Steinberg appointed Vice Mayor Jennings lead on Diversity and Equity requested that Ashby and Jennings work together to consolidate the issues.

Mayor Steinberg also  suggested:

• Looking into child care issues
• Diversity in Small Business Contracting

Vice Mayor has made a commitment to work with the Human Resources Manager to bring back a staff report that will include thoughtful and proactive actions related to:

• Policy considerations
• Economic impact
• Rationale for the recommendations
• Resolution for diversity and equity

Councilmember Carr is working on policy considerations for council

Vice Mayor Jennings

• Request Quarterly reports before the budget and Audit committee
• Request full-year report at the end of the year.

Eric Guerra

• the development of a hiring manual with uniform guidelines.
• importance of the composition of interview panels (no diversity creates barriers to who gets hired or promoted)

AAELC Recommendations for upcoming staff report

• Address the findings/issues that were not included in the initial resolution (?)
• Follow up audit with quarterly or annual follow up standards
• Develop uniform, documented processes citywide for promotions and hiring (screenings,interviews, etc. for civil service, exempt employees) with realistic implementation timeline.
• Equity as it impacts African Americans and people of color, with special emphasis on African American women o Diversification in contracting,procurement, boards and commissions, exempt management and other appointments

Human Resources Department has completed the following in hopes of mitigating employment discrimination.

• City implemented a current, comprehensive Equal Opportunity Policy which:
  • Updates the protected group categories
  • Considers any reports of discrimination, harassment, retaliation to be investigated
    
  • Emphasizes discipline even if no violation of law, but rather a violation of policy
  • Mandates new hires to be trained on harassment and discrimination
  • Provides more examples of potential violations

• Provide in person discrimination and harassment training to all employees, not just supervisors and elected officials pursuant AB 1825 or AB 1661.
• Provided team building workshops to divisions and groups who have experienced workplace issues, such as communications and interpersonal relations problems.
• Take immediate steps to conduct a neutral investigation to determine if there is a violation of the city’s Equal Opportunity Policy, upon receiving an allegation – whether or not a formal EEO complaint form has been completed by the complainant and given to Civil Rights.
• Revised the City’s internal EEO complaint form to update the current sixteen (16) protected group categories in order for employees to identify which classes are protected under the policy as well as state and federal law.
• The former formal complaint form only listed the following six (6): “race, color, sex, religion, national origin, and physical handicap”.
• Office of Civil Rights is being more proactive in referring non-EEO issues to Labor Relations for immediate appropriate action, such as starting an inquiry then taking formal or informal disciplinary action if needed.
• Developing tools, resources and processes that will enable the City to recruit, hire and retain a workforce that reflects our community as it continues to change.
• Revamping the entire recruitment process which includes screening applications on qualifications only and not demographic information and training.
• Improved customer service which includes bilingual staff.
• Hiring of a consultant firm to review all City job specifications, City organizational structure, create citywide classification plan, rewrite of all testing materials by a consulting firm to eliminate bias in the examination process.
• Increase community awareness of openings in the City through online advertisers, community organizations, job fairs, and community outreach events.
• Sharing calendar of events to community stakeholder groups.
• Trainings, employment engagement focus groups

ROUGH VERSION OF NEXT STEPS:

Vice Mayor Jennings is coordinating with Councilmember Carr, Eric Guerra and Melissa Chaney, Human Resources Manager, the preparation of a staff report. The report will include:

1. Affirmation of City’s Commitment to Diversity and Equity and City’s intent to implement Diversity and Equity Initiatives as a means to strengthen Diversity and Equity in the City and in contracting, procurement, boards and commissions, exempt management and all other appointments.
2. Policy outlining actions to be taken to achieve inclusion and Diversity in the City’s workforce, i.e.
3. Directing the Diversity and Equity Manager and IBA to provide quarterly reports to the budget and Audit Committee and an annual report to the City Council regarding outcomes of diversity and equity initiatives implemented, and updated information regarding the City’s workforce composition.

• Based on the revised announcement  for the Diversity and Equity Manager,the committee  believes that the EEOC should be placed in the newly created division with the Diversity and Equity Manager’s Office.  This will reduce any potential conflicts of interest between the Diversity and Equity Manager, EEOC, and Labor Relations.

• Per the committee’s discussion it is suggested that the position “shall” have the authority to develop Equity and Diversity policies for the City that are related to City services, programs, and activities to achieve fair and equitable outcomes .

• Per the committee’s discussion at the meeting with you and the City Manager it was our understanding that the salary and authority would be commensurate to a Director level.
• Per the committee’s discussion it is suggested that the current language use of “should/could”, be changed to “shall/will”. Without the specific language, it would be difficult to hold the individual in the position accountable.

1. Graphics that reflect diversity/inclusiveness
2. A preamble stating City’s commitment to diversity – “A BOLD AND PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY”
3. A national search, a newly created division in the City that will focus on the City’s deliberation in stepping toward advancing racial and social equity in Sacramento.
4. Ethnicity in our community
5. Ethnicity within the City’s workforce
6. Duties and specific responsibilities of the Diversity Manager

AAELC strongly expresses the importance of making a great hire for our new Diversity and Equity Manager position and requested participation in helping to develop a Diversity and Equity Manager  position announcement that would  attract the well-qualified  applicants.

• Hiring the right person will be crucial in efforts to develop an overall framework for diversity and inclusion within each of our City Departments.
• Develop a Diversity and Inclusion Plan that focuses on fairness in hiring and compensation, improving employee skills,fairness in procurement and contracting and equity in our City Boards and Commissions

Oral Report by Human Resources Director on Diversity and Equity

Council Discussion on diversity audit, review of September 6th recommendations, and plans moving forward in 2017.