HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-03-1999 - 8fOrange County
Board of Commissioners
Action Agenda Item Abstract
Meeting Date: November 3, 1999
Action Agenda
Item No. ~--~
Subject: Personnel Ordinance Addition -Multi-Lingual Recruitment and Hiring
Department: Personnel Public Hearing: Yes No X
Budget Amendment
Needed:. Yes No X
Attachment(s):
Draft Addition to the Orange County
Personnel Ordinance -Article II,
Recruitment and Selection
Information Contact:
Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director
Extension 2550
Telephone Number:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
Purpose: To consider adding amulti-lingual recruitment and hiring policy to
the Orange County Personnel Ordinance.
Background: As part of the 1999-00 goal setting process, the Board of Commissioners
adopted an "Hispanic-Latino Relations" goal. Among other things, this provides for the
"development of an affirmative multi-lingual hiring policy for Orange County employment.
Attached is a draft multi-lingual recruitment and hiring policy.
The draft policy would cover positions that provide direct, critical services to client
groups that regularly include Spanish-speaking clients. Examples of such positions
could include certain Social Workers, Public Health Nurses, Paramedics, and
receptionists for critical services and the like. For such positions the County would
incorporate a stated preference for candidates with bi-lingual language skills in
English and Spanish in the job announcement and employment advertising for the
opening.
The outcome sought is to increase the number of Spanish speaking employees in the
work force as part of the broader effort to provide information and materials in
Spanish for the rapidly growing Latino population in Orange County.
In terms of affirmative recruitment for candidates with such skills, the County in its job
recruitment has and will pursue additional outreach to the Hispanic-Latino community.
These efforts include:
^ Participation in the La Fiesta Del Pueblo job fair to promote awareness of Orange
County as an area employer and attendance at other events as identified.
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^ Expansion of the standard employment advertising for such openings to include
publications targeting the Hispanic-Latino community.
^ Expansion of the community resources mailing lists to whom notices of job openings are
sent to include organizations and community groups that consist of, or serve, individuals
from the Hispanic-Latino community.
As to other efforts to increase the numbers of County employees with Spanish speaking
skills, the County has done or plans the following:
^ For several years, the County has had a practice of incorporating a statement in job
announcements and advertising encouraging candidates who are bi-lingual in English
and Spanish to apply when the opening is one that provides direct, critical client services
to Spanish-speaking clients. For 1998-99 and to date in 1999-00, recruitment for 17
openings has incorporated such a statement. These openings included Income
Maintenance Caseworkers, Social Workers, Public Health Nurses, Family Nurse
Practitioner, Civil Rights Specialists and Office Assistant openings.
^ Since 1993, the County has offered Spanish language training to employees during
work time through Personnel's Training and Development Calendar. To date, there
have been about 100 class participants.
As planned, the County plans to expand its training in 1999-00 to offer more intensive
Spanish language training such as immersion training for selected employees.
^ The Human Rights and Relations Department plans to conduct a survey of employees
during 1999-00 to identify languages spoken and employees who may be called on for
translation services.
Financial Impact: Additional employment advertising costs will be incurred for additional
advertising in publications targeting the Hispanic-Latino community. During fiscal year
1999-00 such advertising will be completed to the extent funds are available in the
Personnel advertising budget or the recruiting department can provide supplemental
funding. In developing the proposed 2000-01 advertising budget, staff will evaluate the
impact of such advertising and determine whether to propose additional advertising funds.
Recommendation: The Manager recommends the Board adopt the attached Personnel
Ordinance revision effective November 3, 1999.
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Attachment
Draft Addition to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance
Article II, Recruitment and Selection
3.12 Multi-Lingual Recruitment and Hirinq
For positions that provide direct, critical services to client groups that regularly
include Spanish-speaking clients, Orange County incorporates a preference for
candidates with bi-lingual language skills in English and Spanish in the job
announcement and employment advertising for the opening.
Note:
To incorporate the added Personnel Ordinance provision:
Revise the number for Article II, Item 3.12 "Temporary Position Openings" to 3.13
Revise the number for Article II, Item 3.13 "Elected Officials" to 3.14