MINUTES
FOR THE
THE
COUNCIL OF FEDERAL EEO AND CIVIL RIGHTS EXECUTIVES
Sponsor: Ms. Era L. Marshall, Smithsonian
Institution
President: Mr. Luther Santiful (Director,
Department of the Army EEO Agency) opened the meeting at
The major topic of discussion was the Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) proposal to move Equal Employment Specialist,
GS-0260 work into the Human Resources Specialist, GS-0201 series and to move
Equal Opportunity Compliance, GS-0360 series work into the General Inspection,
GS-1801 series. At the
Ms. Ana Ortiz and Ms. Carmen Duncan, members
of the Council’s OPM Proposal Task Force, led a discussion concerning
the recommendation and its impact on federal equal employment, civil rights
responsibilities, and agency EEO programs. Ms. Duncan gave a presentation
on the regulatory and legislative basis for agency equal employment programs.
Members agreed that the OPM proposal gave a
narrow view of agency equal employment and civil rights responsibilities. Some
Council members said that the proposal did not recognize agency program
responsibilities in other areas such as equal access, housing matters, public
accommodations, or contractor compliance. Council members pointed out that the
OPM view of EEO and civil rights work may have been caused by the confusion of
having these duties scattered among four different series (three occupational
families). Members discussed the current confusion among supervisors and
employees, in their individual agencies, when more than one office performed EEO
and civil rights functions. All members agreed that instead of simplifying the
classification system, the OPM proposal adds to the confusion, by further
splintering equal employment and civil rights work into a fifth series,
GS-1801. Members suggested conducting a survey of Council members to determine
the extent of the series occupied by individuals performing equal employment
and civil rights work. Please complete the attached short survey (see Survey1) and
email it by
Council members said that the impact of
moving the administrative enforcement of affirmative employment into Human
Resources is especially problematic, for several reasons; the proposal usurps
and thwarts federal agency EEO programs, it creates a conflict of position and
interest, and it is in opposition to the regulatory and legislative bases for
agency EEO programs.
Discussion on the OPM proposal ended with a
Council recommendation that, OPM clarifies equal employment and civil rights
positions by creating an "Equal Employment and Civil Rights Occupational
Group." A letter, with the Council’s recommendation, will be forwarded to
OPM.
Ms. Delia Johnson gave an overview of the
NPR/EEOC Interagency Federal EEO Task Force. The Task Force came about, when,
following a congressional request, GAO reviewed the inventories of unresolved
equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints at federal agencies and the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The NPR Task Force is a major
undertaking that will "change the way we conduct EEO business." Ms.
Johnson told Council members that positions are still available on the
issue-specific project teams. The teams are Data Collection, Dispute Prevention
Strategies, Early Dispute Resolution, Best Practices, and Report Writing. Teams
include people with varied backgrounds, they are not
all EEO and civil rights practitioners. Ms. Johnson asked Council members
to relay the need for volunteers on the NPR teams. A draft report on the
progress of the task force is due in May 2000. For information about
volunteering, please email Ms Johnson, at djohnso@exchange.usia.gov]
Mr. Armando Rodriquez from OPM, informed
Council members that OPM has taken a firm stand against the Merit Systems
Protection Board report, "Restoring Merit to Federal Hiring: Why Two
Special Hiring Programs Should Be Ended" that recommended
agencies put an end to the Outstanding Scholar Program appointing authority,
which was created by the Luevano consent decree. Mr. Rodriquez said that
the special appointing authorities contributed to a highly qualified workforce
and did not undermine merit principles. OPM will be engaged in further
discussion concerning the impact of the report.
Ms. Marshall began a discussion about the
word, minority, and the impact of the term. Some Council members believed that
the word had negative connotations. The ensuing discussion explored
replacements for the word, such as disenfranchised or underrepresented, that
would be interpreted more positively. Some members voiced concerns that new
Census terms would confuse or damage positive programs that assist minority
groups. The Council agreed that because most supervisors and managers
understood the term now, as it applies, and because civil rights legislation is
tied to the word minority, it should not be changed.
The meeting adjourned at