Equal Employment Opportunity Division (ODMEE) Functional Statement
FUNCTIONS
- Provides leadership to the planning and development of affirmative employment policies and programs that recognize and value the diversity of the Department's workforce and promote a workplace free of discrimination.
- Provides technical assistance and enabling tools to the OPDIVs in the design of innovative, effective affirmative employment programs and complaints management and prevention.
- Keeps top HHS officials apprised of workforce demographics, complaints activity, etc., and recommends positive interventions as needed.
- Serves as the Department's focal point for liaison with the Office of Personnel Management, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the General Accounting Office on issues pertaining to affirmative employment and special emphasis programs and discrimination complaints.
- Prepares final Departmental decisions on the merits for complaints of discrimination for issuance by the Director of Equal Employment Opportunity.
- Prepares Departmental appellate decisions for complaints of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for issuance by the Director of Equal Employment Opportunity.
- Prepares final Departmental decisions on the merits for complaints of discrimination filed by members of the Commissioned Corps for issuance by the Surgeon General.
MAJOR COMPONENTS/REQUIREMENTS
AFFIRMATIVE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS
The Affirmative Employment Programs component of the EEO Programs Group is responsible for the preparation and issuance of the following reports:
Affirmative Employment Program for Minorities and Women
- Annual Program Accomplishment Report and Plan Update submitted to EEOC by April 15th
Affirmative Action Program for Individuals with Disabilities
- Annual Program Accomplishment Report and Plan Update submitted to EEOC by December 1st
Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program (FEORP)
- Annual Plan Accomplishment Report and Update submitted to Office of Personnel Management by December 1st
Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program and Plan (DVAAP)
- Annual Accomplishment Report due to OPM by December 1st
SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAMS
Special Emphasis Programs include activities related to the employment, promotion and retention of individuals in the following groupings:
- Federal Women's Program
- Hispanic Employment Program
- Employment Initiatives for African-Americans, Asian/Pacific Islander Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives
- Employment of Persons with Disabilities
- Reasonable accommodation and accessibility
- DHHS representation on the planning committee for the Annual Perspectives on Employment of Persons with Disabilities Conference
- DHHS representation on Federal Recruitment Program for college students and recent graduates with disabilities
- Participation on Business Advisory Council for Marriott Bridges Intern Program for high school students with Disabilities
In connection with the responsibility for Special Emphasis Programs, the EEO Programs Group also provides oversight and technical assistance for:
Departmental Minority Initiatives Coordinating Committee
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACUs)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Tribal Colleges and Universities
Departmental Steering Committees
Hispanic Agenda for Action
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Student Work Opportunities Work Group
- Health & Human Services Academy at Eastern High School
- Advertising in Minority Publications and
- Applicant Flow Data System (Developing system and guidelines for DHHS to collect race/national origin/disability information on applicants for advertised vacancies. OPDIV data will be consolidated and reported to ASMB on a recurring basis).
EEO COMPLAINTS PROCESSING
The EEO Complaints Processing component of the EEO Programs Group is responsible for providing technical assistance and policy guidance to the OPDIVs, handling Commissioned Corps EEO complaints, conflict of interest cases and preparing final agency decisions on the merits in matters related to the following authorities:
Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1614, which administers:
- Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Rehabilitation Act
- Equal Pay Act
Secretary's Policy Statement on EEO (Prohibiting Discrimination Based on
Sexual Orientation)
The EEO Programs Group is also responsible for:
- monitoring and tracking of complaints-related activity to facilitate the
DHHS submission of the Annual Federal EEO Statistical Report on Discrimination Complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission.
- providing oversight/technical assistance in connection with DHHS ADR-EEO programs and collaborating with the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB) and others to facilitate the use of ADR techniques in the resolution of EEO complaints.
- conducting EEO program assessments in conjunction with the OHR
Policy Coordination Group and other entities.
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