POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Procedure Number: HR20-02A
Title: Equal Employment Opportunity Procedures
Date Approved: 1/23/01
Updated & Approved: 6/30/05
Related Policy 3354:2-20-02

 

 

The college equal employment opportunity policy will be implemented using the following procedures:

  1. Dissemination of Policy
    1. The following are among the measures that shall be taken to ensure broad dissemination of the policy and procedures and to develop understanding and support.
      1. Each employee shall receive a current copy of the policy.
      2. The equal employment opportunity policy shall be publicized widely within the college. Such groups and individuals as recruitment sources, unions, vendors, prospective employees, and others will also be informed of the college's policies.
  2. Responsibility for Implementation
    1. The Director of Human Resources will be responsible for:
      1. developing and recommending to the President procedures for implementation.
      2. informing supervisors of cost centers and members of the college community of their rights and responsibilities under legal guidelines.
      3. developing statistical material as required to implement the college's equal employment opportunity policy.
      4. annually conducting a formal evaluation of the college's performance and disseminating the results to all employees.
      5. completing all required reporting forms on equal employment opportunity at the college including the federal EEO-6 and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission report forms.
      6. Assisting supervisors and Human Resources Department staff in following correct personnel procedures when any employment action is taken.
      7. Serving as liaison between the college administration and concerned individuals or groups in the college or in the community.
      8. receiving complaints from employees about alleged discrimination, providing information and counseling, and assisting them in the grievance process.
      9. receiving, from outside parties, charges of discrimination, investigating them, recommending remedial action to the president, and filing institutional responses where necessary.
      10. discharging other related equal opportunity responsibilities as assigned by the president.
    2. The supervisors will be accountable for:
      1. informing themselves about the equal employment opportunity policy.
      2. the achievement of equal employment opportunity policy implementation within their areas of responsibility.
  3. Recruitment
    1. The Human Resources Department is responsible for initiatives to ensure sufficient, diverse pools of qualified applicants for actual and anticipated vacancies. To this end the Human Resources Department shall:
      1. Establish and maintain a reciprocal working relationship with institutions, organizations, and individuals considered likely sources of qualified diverse applicants including:
        1. Relevant professional organizations, including those with the goal of furthering the career development and opportunities of members of the protected classes;
        2. The placement centers of nearby colleges;
        3. The placement centers of colleges and universities cross the United States with large numbers of faculty and students from the projected classes;
        4. National, state and local organizations representing the interests of members of the protected classes.
      2. Encourage employees to refer qualified/qualifiable applicants who are members of the protected classes.
      3. Whenever possible, include members of the protected classes on search committees.
      4. Review position qualifications to ensure that they are bona fide occupational qualifications that do not screen out qualified persons with disability or other members of the protected classes. Assist the supervisor of record in determining what reasonable accommodations can be made to accommodate disabled persons in the performance of job duties that do not create an undue hardship.
      5. Publish the following statement on each position vacancy announcement: "It is the policy of Lakeland Community College to recruit and select individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or veteran status. We encourage applications from qualified women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities."
      6. Announce full time faculty, administrative and supervisory/professional vacancies nationwide via classified advertisements in publications such as The Chronicle of Higher Education and/or mailings of position vacancy announcements to state, regional and national professional organizations and those organizations representing the career interests of members of the protected classes.
      7. Announce part-time administrative and supervisory/professional vacancies and all continuing status and full-time non-continuing status staff vacancies via mailings of position vacancy announcements to local employment bureaus and professional organizations, including those representing the career interests of members of the protected classes and advertising in local and/or regional publications as necessary.
      8. Maintain contact with diverse and qualified applicants from previous searches for inclusion in the applicant pool for a future vacancy.
    2. Selection process for full-time administrative and supervisory/professionals and staff at pay grade nine or higher.
      1. A search committee of four to seven members will be convened for all administrative vacancies.
        1. The Vice President responsible for the department in which the vacancy occurred will submit to the President a recommendation for the appointment of a chairperson for the search committee.
        2. The chairperson of the committee, in conjunction with the Vice President and the Director of Human Resources, will recommend at least five potential members to the President.
        3. Search committee membership is based on the members' ability to evaluate applicants' knowledge and skills either as a result of expertise in the field or the working relationship of the positions.
      2. The search committee is charged with recommending finalists, not in ranked order, to the administrator who is the supervisor of record for the vacancy. (If the supervisor of record is serving as the chair of the committee, the recommendation is submitted to the next level administrator.) In order to accomplish this, the search committee will:
        1. Review the qualifications established for the position.
        2. Review the applications submitted for the vacancy.
          1. The committee may review all of the applications or only the applications of those individuals selected for further consideration by the Human Resources Department, who will screen in accordance with the established minimum and preferred qualifications.
        3. Select applicants for interview
        4. Prepare interview questions based on the criteria established and the responsibilities of the position
        5. Review information gathered from background inquiries conducted by the Human Resources Department
        6. Evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities of each candidate interviewed
        7. Prepare a written statement of each finalists' strengths and weaknesses
      3. The Human Resources Department serves in an advisory capacity to the search committee on selection procedures including, but not limited to:
        1. Determination of equivalency of qualifications
        2. Suitability of applicant pool
        3. Tools or methods useful for selecting interviewees from the applicant pool
        4. Preparation of appropriate interview questions and, if necessary, job-relevant simulation exercises
        5. Background inquiries
          1. The Human Resources Department, in consultation with the Vice President of the unit in which the vacancy occurred, will determine which of the following levels of background inquiries are required by law and/or are relevant, including but not limited to: (1) current and/or prior employment verification; ( 2) degree verification; ( 3) criminal record review; (4) motor vehicle record and (5) drug and alcohol testing.
          2. Information obtained in background inquiries other than numbers 1 and 2 above, will be kept confidential. The information may be reviewed with the Vice President of the unit with the vacancy but not the search committee. The Director of Human Resources and the Vice President are responsible for evaluating the information's relevancy to the position requirements, determining the need to further communicate with the applicant in an attempt to clarify the information obtained and, finally, the applicants suitability for employment.
        6. Record-keeping
          1. Written records shall be maintained of the recruitment and selection process for each position opening including information about advertising, recruitment, applications and associated materials filed, and the rejection, further consideration or recommendation of applicants and the basis for such decisions.
      4. Recommendation and approval procedure
        1. The search committee will recommend up to three finalists in unranked order with a summary of their strengths and weaknesses to the supervisor of record (if the supervisor of record is serving as the chair of the committee, the recommendation is submitted to the next level administrator.)
          1. The supervisor of record or next level administrator, in addition to interviewing some or all of the finalists, may choose to review the entire applicant pool and select additional qualified interviewees.
        2. The recommendation for hire must be submitted to, and approved by the Vice President of the unit and the President, both reserving the right to review the entire applicant pool and selecting additional interviewees.
        3. All salary offers require the approval of the President.
        4. The written offer of employment subject to approval by the Board of Trustees for positions at the director or above level will be presented to the individual by the Director of Human Resources.
    3. Selection process for full-time faculty
      1. In accordance with the "Guidelines for Search Committees Charged with Hiring Full-time Faculty", developed in conjunction with the Lakeland Faculty Association Executive Committee.
      2. The role of the Human Resources Department shall be as outlined in (C)(1) (d) of this procedure.
      3. The recommendation and approval procedure shall be as outlined in (C)(2)(d) of this procedure.
    4. Selection process for staff (full or part-time) below pay grade ten
      1. The supervisor of record assumes responsibility for the tasks defined in (C)(2)(b)(iii).
      2. The role of the Human Resources Department shall be as outlined in (C)(1) (d) of this procedure.
      3. The recommendation and approval procedure shall be as outlined in (C)(2)(d) (ii) and (iii) of this procedure.
    5. Selection process for part-time faculty
      1. In accordance with the "Recruitment and Selection Procedures for Part-time Faculty" developed in conjunction with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean's Council.
    6. Compensation and benefits
      ​The college shall not discriminate in the compensation and benefits received by its employees.
    7. Transfer
      ​Transfers will be made on a non-discriminatory basis.
    8. Discipline, termination and layoff
      1. Discipline, terminations, and layoffs shall be made on a non-discriminatory basis and shall adhere to established policy and procedures.
      2. When positions have been terminated for budgetary or programmatic reasons and incumbents have been laid off, those individuals shall be recalled in reverse order of layoff if terminated positions are restored.
        1. Faculty recall procedures shall be those outlined in the "Reduction in Staff" section of the negotiations agreement.
        2. Staff members shall be recalled according to Board approved policy.
Staging Enabled