Iowa Admin. Code r. 161-8.65

Current through Regsiter Vol. 46, No. 26, June 12, 2024

Rule 161-8.65 - Declaration of policy

(1) Equal opportunity and affirmative action toward its achievement is the policy of all units of Iowa state government. This policy shall apply in all areas where the state funds are expended, in employment, public service, grants and financial assistance, and in state licensing and regulation. All policies, programs and activities of state government shall be periodically reviewed and revised to ensure their fidelity to this policy.

(2) Affirmative action required. All appointing authorities, and state agencies in the executive branch of government, shall abide by the requirements of Governor Robert D. Ray's Executive Order Number 15 and Iowa Code chapter 216.

Each agency shall designate an equal opportunity officer to be responsible for affirmative action policies intra-agency. Each agency shall prepare an affirmative action plan for that department in accordance with the criteria set forth in 161-8.7(216). All plans shall be subject to the review and comment of the affirmative action director of the commission. The affirmative action director shall make every effort to achieve compliance with affirmative action requirements by informal conference, conciliation and persuasion. Where failure to comply with Executive Order Number 15 results, the commission may initiate complaints against the noncomplying agencies.

(3) Employment policies of state agencies. Each appointing authority shall review the recruitment, appointment, assignment, upgrading and promotion policies and activities for state employees to correct policies that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or physical or mental handicap. All appointing authorities shall hire and promote employees without discrimination. Special attention shall be given to the allocation of funds for on-the-job training, the parity of civil service classes doing similar work, and the training of supervisory personnel in equal opportunity principles and procedures. Annually each appointing authority shall review their EEO-4 reports and include in their budget presentation necessary programs, goals and objectives, to improve the equal opportunity aspects of their department's employment policies. Each appointing authority shall make an annual report to the affirmative action director of the commission on persons hired, disciplined, terminated and vacancies occurring within their department.

(4) State services and facilities. Every state agency shall render service to the citizens of this state without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or physical or mental handicap. No state facility shall be used in furtherance of any discriminatory practice nor shall any state agency become a party to any agreement, arrangement, or plan which has the effect of sanctioning such patterns or practices.

(5) State employment services. All state agencies which provide employment referral or placement services to public or private employers shall accept job orders, refer for employment, test, classify, counsel, and train only on a nondiscriminatory basis. They shall refuse to fill any job orders designed to exclude anyone because of race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age or disability. All agencies shall report to the commission any violations by state agencies and any private employers or unions which are known to persist in restrictive hiring practices.

(6) State contracts and subcontracts. Every state contract for goods or services and for public works, including construction and repair of buildings, roads, bridges, and highways, shall contain a clause prohibiting discriminatory employment practices by contractors and subcontractors based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age or disability. The nondiscrimination clause shall include a provision requiring state contractors and subcontractors to give written notice of their commitments under this clause to any labor union with which they have bargaining or other agreements. Contractual provisions shall be fully and effectively enforced and any breach of them shall be regarded as a material breach of contract.

(7) State licensing and regulatory agencies. No state department, board, commission, or agency shall grant, deny, or revoke a license on the grounds of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age or disability. License, as defined in Iowa Code section 17A.2(5), includes the whole or a part of any agency permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter or similar form of permission required by statute. Any licensee, or any applicant for a license issued by a state agency, who operates in an unlawful discriminatory manner, shall, when consistent with the legal authority and rules and regulations of the appropriate licensing or regulatory agency, be subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate agencies as provided by law, including the denial, revocation, or suspension of the license. In determining whether to apply sanctions or not, a final decision of discrimination certified to the licensing agency by the commission shall be binding upon the licensing agency.

(8) State financial assistance. Race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, physical or mental disability shall not be considered as limiting factors in state-administered programs involving the distribution of funds to qualified applicants for benefits authorized by law; nor shall state agencies provide grants, loans, or other financial assistance to public agencies, private institutions or organizations which engage in discriminatory practices.

(9) Reports. All state agencies in the executive branch shall report annually to the commission. Reports shall cover both internal activities and relations with the public and with other state agencies and shall contain other information as may be specifically requested by the commission in order to enable it to compile the Governor's Annual Affirmative Action Report.

(10) Cooperation in investigations. All state agencies shall cooperate fully with the commission and authorized federal agencies in their investigations of allegations of discrimination.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 161-8.65