EEO and Diversity

Date: February 2016

Supersedes: October 2011, May 2003
This policy is comprehensive and replaces all previous policies and statements concerning Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Diversity.

---

Purpose

To reaffirm and restate the College’s continuing commitment to diversity and the principles of equal opportunity; to increase effectiveness by setting forth the action being taken and to be taken by the College and its employees concerning equal opportunity in educational programs and employment.  

Policy

Equal Opportunity Statement

Montgomery County Community College is committed to assuring equal opportunity to all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or disability in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices as required by Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other applicable statutes. Inquiries concerning Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and/or 504 Compliance or ADA should be referred to: The Director of Equity and Diversity Initiatives, (215) 619-7383.

General Policy

The College is committed to complying with all applicable laws regarding non-discrimination. Furthermore, it shall strive to build a diverse community in which opportunity is equal for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or disability . The College is also committed to providing educational opportunities, developing definite operational plans, and acting as a responsible institution to reduce and or eliminate educational and job inequities among all people, and will take positive steps in its response to the needs for equitable distribution of education and job access among all people. The College is further committed to taking steps to increase the number of individuals in positions where they have not been traditionally employed.

Specific Policy - Employment

The College will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or disability . Further, the College, through its employment practices and procedures will recruit and employ qualified personnel for all of its diverse activities and at all of its facilities. The College provides equal opportunities before and during employment by administering each and every phase of its personnel program without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or disability

Recruitment

1.  Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) will recruit on the basis of qualifications and individual ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or disability.
2. Recruitment sources will be notified through written and verbal notification of the College’s policy and commitment to equal employment opportunity and diversity.
3. Recruitment practices will focus on creating a feeling conducive to attracting qualified diverse candidates. 
4. The College will strengthen and develop new recruiting sources from among those specializing in and oriented toward placement of diverse candidates.  
5. MCCC will initiate recruitment efforts and liaison programs with secondary schools and colleges having a concentration of people of color and women and will be included in regular recruitment schedules and visits.

Some version of the below phrase will be used on all recruitment literature: 

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) has a strong institutional commitment to diversity and is dedicated to excellence through diversity in education and employment. MCCC, an EEO Employer, provides equal employment and educational opportunities to all who are qualified. In keeping with the College’s diversity initiative, MCCC seeks and welcomes applications from diverse candidates, those who have had multicultural experience, and those who can demonstrate a commitment to diversity.

1. The use of news media directed to people of color, women, and other diverse individuals will be a part of the College’s advertising practices. 
2. The Human Resources Office and the Director of Equity and Diversity Initiatives shall assist in recruiting qualified applicants for all positions in cooperation with the department or unit having the open position, and shall make special efforts to  increase the diversity of the applicant pool. 
3. 9.   Advertisements of open positions in the instructional, executive/managerial professional/administrative and technical categories will be placed in those professional journals and job registries which would broaden the applicant pool and those that are readily available to people of color, women, and other diverse groups.
4. 10. When a search committee is formed, every effort will be made to form a diverse search committee.  In any case, the search committee will utilize methods most likely to result in the inclusion of qualified, diverse individuals in the interview pool.

Employment and Placement

1. Applicants for employment are considered and placed without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or  disability. The College will continue to display official Equal Employment Opportunity posters in conspicuous places available to employees and applicants for employment.
2. Employment application forms are in compliance with applicable federal law.
3. Screening procedures, such as application review, interviewing, and testing are validated, standardized, and consistent with applicable laws and acceptable personnel practices. So as not to adversely affect the employment opportunities of people of color, women, and other diverse individuals, employment interviewers will be specially instructed in the College’s equal employment opportunity policy and commitment to diversity.
4. The Human Resources Office will maintain records on interviews conducted and on the results of interviews.

Promotions, Demotions, Layoffs, Recalls, and Transfers

1. 1For the purposes of demotions, layoffs, recalls, opportunities for promotion, transfer, and filling temporary openings, an employee’s qualifications, including ability to perform the work and service, are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or  disability .
2. To ensure equal opportunity for promotion, the College will make known on a College-wide basis the availability of open positions so that all interested individuals can be considered. 

Personnel Policies

Personnel policies and practices such as compensation and benefit programs are the subject of periodic review to ensure that they are consistent with applicable and current legal requirements and that they are administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older),  genetic information, marital status, veteran’s status or disability.

Subcontractors, Independent Contractors, and Vendors

1. MCCC will make an effort to utilize the services of people of color, women, and other diverse groupsin its subcontractors, independent contractors, and vendor relationships.  
2. MCCC will incorporate the Equal Employment Opportunity Statement in each business   contract and affiliated agency contract and purchase order.  

Release of Information from Personnel Data Files

1. In order to prevent invasions of privacy, it is the policy of MCCC to carefully control access to personal identifying data contained in personnel files, including factors such as race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), ancestry, national origin, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status or  disability.