Current through Register Vol. 54, No.43, October 26, 2024
Section 1.863 - Responsibility for implementing equal employment opportunity(a) The Secretary of Administration shall supervise the development, implementation and enforcement of the Commonwealth's equal employment opportunity programs through the Bureau of Workforce Planning, Development and Equal Employment Opportunity, which shall in turn: (1) Develop and promote steps designed to ensure a diverse workforce, equal employment opportunity and fair treatment of the protected classes in § 1.861(a) (relating to prohibition of discrimination and affirmation of equal employment opportunity) at all levels of state government.(2) Develop Commonwealth-wide equal employment opportunity policies, procedures and training to ensure consistency and uniformity.(3) Conduct or participate in periodic onsite reviews and audits of agency equal employment opportunity programs.(4) Develop complaint investigation and resolution procedures for implementation by agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction.(5) Review complaint investigation reports at any stage of the complaint process.(6) Develop and implement a standardized equal employment opportunity procedure to monitor personnel transactions in Commonwealth agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction.(7) Develop and issue guidelines for the conduct of agency equal employment opportunity programs and the review of equal employment opportunity plans prior to implementation.(8) Design and implement monitoring and reporting systems to measure the effectiveness of agency equal employment opportunity programs.(9) Consult with agency officials regarding personnel actions implicating equal employment opportunity, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, demotion, separation, transfer, performance standards and evaluation, and rate of pay.(10) Provide leadership to agencies in the design and implementation of innovative equal employment opportunity strategies that will further the Commonwealth's commitment to equal employment opportunity.(11) Examine in particular whether employees or applicants for employment experience workplace challenges due to sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression and identify ways to minimize any the challenges.(12) Evaluate the Commonwealth's hiring and job retention practices to ensure compliance with this subchapter.(13) Coordinate, as needed, with the Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities within the Department of General Services to ascertain how equal employment opportunity best practices can promote diversity, inclusion and fairness in Commonwealth contracting.(b) Heads of departments and agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction shall: (1) Designate an Equal Opportunity Officer with the primary responsibility of developing and implementing the agency's equal employment opportunity program.(2) Ensure that the agency Equal Opportunity Officer reports directly to the individual who has overall responsibility for the agency's equal employment opportunity program.(3) Ensure that the agency's commitment to equal employment opportunity is clearly transmitted to agency employees and that bureau directors and managers provide adequate support to the Equal Opportunity Manager or Specialist in the development and implementation of program plans designed to achieve the agency's equal employment opportunity objectives.(4) Seek input from the Director of the Bureau of Workforce Planning, Development and Equal Employment Opportunity on personnel actions affecting equal employment opportunity professional staff.(5) Ensure that the agency develops and implements effective equal employment opportunity plans in addition to auditing and reporting mechanisms.(6) Ensure that agency supervisory and management employees are rated on equal employment opportunity, diversity and inclusiveness based in part upon criteria identified in the agency's equal employment opportunity plan.