4111.1
Personnel -- Non-Certified
Affirmative Action: Recruitment and Selection
The Board of Education recognizes the diversity of the people who live in this school district, and furthermore, the Board of Education believes that this diversity should have an important bearing on all aspects of the school system’s activities. The Board of Education also believes it is especially important that this diversity of population be recognized in the recruitment, hiring, promotion, and assignment of personnel.
The Board of Education will provide equal employment opportunities for all persons without regard to race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or physical disability. The Board of Education directs the administration to set as a goal, the recruitment, selection and employment of qualified people among racial and ethnic minority groups to the end that the school district’s employees should proportionately mirror the racial and ethnic composition of this community.
The Board of Education will implement an affirmative action plan and actively seek minority applicants for all open positions in the district. The Board shall make appropriate efforts to encourage, recruit, employ, and promote qualified minorities, especially where under-utilized in the district’s work force. In addition, no advertisement of employment opportunities may, by intent or design, restrict employment based upon discrimination as defined by law. Any Board employee who conducts interviews or recommends professional or paraprofessional employees for any job in the Hamden Public Schools System will have read, and had the Board of Education affirmative action policy and plan explained to them, by the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee.
The Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for developing specific recruiting procedures and appropriate interviewing and evaluation instruments to implement the Board’s policy. All such procedures and instruments shall comply with federal and state requirements. The Board of Education requests an annual report from the Superintendent of Schools concerning the extent to which the above-mentioned affirmative action program goals are being achieved.
For the purposes of the Board’s affirmative action policy and the ongoing plan, the term “minorities” shall mean African American, Native American, Asian American, Hispanic, and other minority group members, women and individuals with disabilities. Community members are urged to refer such applicants directly to the Superintendent, and to encourage friends and associates to do the same.
The specific purposes of the Affirmative Action Plan are:
- To ensure equal opportunity in all personnel practices and collective bargaining agreements through the identification and elimination of practices or policies that discriminate.
- To increase the employment of minorities at all levels of employment, especially where under-utilized in the district’s work force.
- To design and implement continuing internal assessment, reporting and modification procedures for the evaluation of the plan.
- To develop employee training programs designed to assist employees, particularly those with the responsibility for recruitment, hiring, assigning, training, promoting to ensure compliance with the policy and plan.
- To provide for the publication and dissemination, internally and externally, of the Affirmative Action Policy and Plan and to ensure its availability to interested citizens and groups.
- To ensure that every level of supervision is held responsible for complying with this policy and plan.
Legal References:
Connecticut General Statutes
10-153 Discrimination on account of marital status.
46a-60 Discriminatory employment practices prohibited.
Title VII, Civil Rights Act U.S.C. 2000e, et. seq.
PA 91-58 An Act Concerning Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation.
Policy Adopted: September 14, 1999
Hamden Public Schools Hamden, Connecticut
APPENDIX
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN
The Hamden Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools, and staff have developed a clear and concise goal regarding the recruitment and selection of individuals with particular attention to affirmative action needs. To this end, the Minority Advisory Committee, equity education days, and a dedicated commitment to the recruitment of minority staff have been developed. The following is the plan of these specific actions.
The Minority Advisory Committee meets to discuss concerns, issues and recommendations as they relate to all students, particularly minority students, in the Town of Hamden. Attention is given to reinforce strategies in dealing with all children, specifically any child needing special or additional attention. Through appropriate programs particular attention is placed on developing equity through curriculum, male/female, and minority issues.
Another goal in this affirmative action plan is to make staff and administrators aware of the need for minority candidates in all areas. To accomplish this goal the following are ongoing practices. The Assistant Superintendent of Schools meets on a regular basis with each administrator to discuss staffing needs for his/her department. When a vacancy occurs, particular attention is placed on recruitment and selection of minority candidates. Naturally these candidates must be certified for the area in which they will be teaching or administrating. Simultaneously, the Personnel Office of the Town of Hamden is aware of our affirmative action responsibilities.
We are continuously looking for candidates in the areas of secretarial, custodial and maintenance, teacher aides and cafeteria employees. The Hamden Public Schools has and will continue to participate in job fairs conducted by the Greater New Haven Urban League with attempts at making a variety of contacts for present and future employment opportunities. The Hamden Public Schools has and will continue to send out letters to community members, community groups, radio stations, and area colleges and universities to establish a liaison with individuals representing these institutions which may facilitate a contact with future minority candidates. The purpose of this is to establish a link between the Hamden Public Schools, the community member, the college, university, and new applicants for teaching positions.
In addition, the Hamden Public Schools as in the past, will engage in mailings to colleges and universities which will be conducting job fairs. These colleges and universities indicate that minority candidates will be seeking employment. The Assistant Superintendent will seek from each job fair contact appropriate information and applications. The Hamden Public Schools maintains contact with college and/or university placement offices. The district continues its efforts and hopes to extend its employment practices and develop new techniques.
Discriminatory Pre-Employment Inquiries
The following list provides questions that can or should not be asked on employment application forms and in pre-employment interviews or other pre-employment inquiries. Some of the questions listed as potentially discriminatory may be asked legally if they relate to bona-fide occupational requirements of a particular job, or if there are affirmative action considerations. The following list is excerpted and adapted from a handbook by the Montgomery County (Md.) Human Relations Commission.
| Subject | Job-Related, Non-Discriminatory Question | Not Job-Related, Potentially Discriminatory Questions |
| Name | Applicant's full name. Have you ever worked for this business or organization under a different name? Is any additional information relative to a different name necessary to check on your work record? If yes, explain. | Applicant's maiden name. Original name of applicant whose name has been changed by court order or otherwise. |
|
Address/ |
What is your mailing address? How long a resident of this state or city? (for tax purposes) | Where did you live previously? |
| Convictions | Have you ever been convicted of a crime? If so, when, where, and nature of offense? Are there any felony charges pending against you? | Inquiries regarding arrests. |
| Age/Birthdate | May ask only whether applicant is within the legal age range for your employment purpose. | How old are you? What is your date of birth? |
| Birthplace | Birthplace of applicant, his or her parents, spouse, or other close relative. Requirement that applicant submit birth certificate, and naturalization or baptismal records. | |
| Citizenship | Are you a citizen of the U.S.? (May be asked only to determine whether applicant has legal right to work in the U.S.? Do you have the legal right to remain permanently in the U.S.? | Of what country are you a citizen? Are you a naturalized or native-born citizen? When did you become a citizen? Are your parents or spouse naturalized or native-born citizens of the U.S.? Requirement to submit naturalization or birth certificates. |
| Relatives | Names of applicant's relatives already employed by the school system. | Requirement to furnish address of any relative. |
| Religion | General questions regarding work hours only, such as: Are you available to work the hours and days required for the job? | Inquiries into religious affiliation. |
| Sex | Any inquiry regarding applicant's sex including title of Mr., Miss, or Mrs. Any questions regarding family planning. | |
| Special Skills | Inquiries into special skills such as typing, foreign languages, writing, operating computers, etc. | |
| Organizations | Inquiry into membership in professional organizations or hobby groups relevant to the job. | Inquiry into membership into specific organizations; the name or character of which reveal personal information which could discriminate against the applicant. |
| National Origin | Inquiry into languages applicant speaks or writes, but only if relevant to the job. | Inquiry into applicant's lineage, ancestry, descent, national origin, nationality, or parentage. Nationality of applicant's parents or spouse. What is your mother's tongue? |
| Marital Status | Any inquiries into marital status, plans for a family, or number of dependents. Is your spouse employed and where? What is your spouse's name? | |
| Military Service | Inquiry into applicant's military experience in the Armed Forces of the U.S. or in a state militia (branch, service dates, occupational specialty, reason for leaving.) | Inquiry into applicant's general military experience, not job related. |
| Dependents | Do you have any children? How old are your children? Do you have any dependents? What childcare arrangements have you made? | |
| Driver's License | May be asked about only if driving is necessary for the job. | Do you have a valid driver's license? |
| Education | Inquiry into the academic, vocational, or professional education of the applicant and the schools he/she attended. | |
| Emergency Notification | Name and address of person to be notified in case of accident or emergency. | Name and address of nearest relative to be notified in case of emergency. |
| Experience | Inquiries into work experience. | |
| Health/Pregnancy | Do you have any impairments - physical, mental or medical - which would interfere with your ability to do the job for which you have applied? Are there any positions for which you should not be considered or job duties you cannot perform because of a physical or mental handicap? Inquiries into contagious or communicable diseases which may endanger others. | Are you pregnant? Are you using any contraceptives? Are you planning to have a family? Requirement that women be given a pelvic examination. Do you have a disability or handicap? Do you use any adaptive device or aid? Have you ever been treated for the following diseases...? |
| Height or Weight | Any inquiries regarding applicant height or weight. | |
| Photograph | Requirement that applicant submit a photograph either before or after the pre-employment inquiry. | |
| Race or Color | Questions regarding the complexion or color of skin, national origin, ancestry, etc. (see also "National Origin".) | |
| Reference | Who suggested that you apply for a position here? Name and address of person(s) for reference. |
Note: After a person has been hired, the school system may make some inquiries that are not permissible in a pre-employment interview or form. Such inquiries must be made uniformly of all employees, and answers must not be used to discriminate unfairly in assignments and transfers.
Legal Reference:
Connecticut General Statutes
46a-60 Discriminatory employment practices prohibited. Executive Order 11246, 42 U.S.C. 2000e note.
Equal Pay Act or 1963, 29 U.S.C. 206(d).
Regulation approved: June 27, 2005
Hamden Public Schools Hamden, Connecticut
4211.1
Personnel -- Non-Certified
Affirmative Action: Recruitment and Selection
The Hamden Board of Education affirms the rights and protections under state, federal and local laws and regulations that pertain to the illness, chronic disease or handicapping condition of any employee. In general, such conditions should not be grounds for denying or terminating employment, or treating such employees differently from other employees (Connecticut General Statutes Section 46a-51 (15) and Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P194-142).
The Board of Education will provide equal employment opportunities for all persons without regard to race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, sex, or sexual orientation or physical disability. The Board of Education directs the administration to set as a goal the recruitment, selection and employment of qualified people among racial and ethnic minority groups to the end that the school district's employees will proportionately mirror the racial and ethnic composition of this community.
The Board of Education requests an annual report from the Superintendent of Schools concerning the extent to which the above-mentioned affirmative action program goals are being achieved.
No advertisement of employment opportunities may by intent or design restrict employment based upon discrimination as defined by law.
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-153 Discrimination on account of marital status
46a-60 Discriminatory Employment Practices Prohibited
Title VII, Civil Rights Act 42 U.S.C. 2000e, et seq.
Equal Pay Act of 1963, 29 U.S.C. 206(d).
| Policy adopted: January 14, 2003 | HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS |
| Hamden, Connecticut |