Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action

Affirmative action means taking positive steps to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals from groups that have traditionally been discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, marital, military or veteran status. In this sense, affirmative action goes beyond equal employment opportunity, which requires employers to eliminate discriminatory conditions, whether inadvertent or intentional, and to treat all employees equally in the workplace.

 

Equal opportunity and affirmative action are more than simply "good things to do." There’s a legal requirement that’s essential to the fulfillment of the university’s mission as an educational institution, as well as an employer. Employers who receive federal assistance are required to meet certain affirmative action obligations set forth in:

 

• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• The Vietnam-Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974
• Executive Order 11246

 

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) within the U.S. Department of Labor administers these laws and has issued regulations implementing each of them. As a means to continue support of the university’s commitment to create a diverse workforce and to remain in compliance with all federal laws, the Office of Employment Equity develops and maintains the university’s affirmative action plan. The affirmative action plan consists of statistical analyses of the “underutilization” of individuals from certain protected classes and includes affirmative steps that will be taken to improve their representation in the workforce. Affirmative steps could include but are not limited to:

 

• Demonstrated commitment to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, that are communicated throughout the organization;
• Successful analysis and self-monitoring of the workforce to identify and address possible discrimination, and ensure compliance with federal EEO requirements;
• Good faith efforts to remove identified barriers and expand employment opportunity via:
  
  • Innovative outreach and recruitment, employee development and training programs
  • Supervisor and management training and development programs
  • Employee support and mentoring programs or initiatives
  • Accountability and measurable results from the successful good faith effort
  
  

Affirmative Action Coordinators (AACs) are available to assist within their unit and/or department concerning EEO issues that may arise in the hiring and employment context. You may locate the AAC assigned to your area in the following listings sorted by Reporting Relationship Code:

• Camden Campus
• New Brunswick Campus
• Newark Campus

 

 

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Last Updated: 07/11/2008