Policy 5010 - Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action

Nondiscrimination 

The Richland School District (the “District”) will provide equal employment opportunity and treatment for all applicants and staff in recruitment, hiring, retention, assignment, transfer, promotion and training. Such equal employment opportunity will be provided without discrimination with respect to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. 

The Richland School District’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) will designate a staff member to serve as the compliance officer. 

Affirmative Action 

The District, as a recipient of public funds, is committed to undertake affirmative action which will make effective equal employment opportunities for staff and applicants for employment. Such affirmative action will include a review of programs, the setting of goals and the implementation of corrective employment procedures to increase the ratio of aged, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, women, and Vietnam veterans who are under-represented in the job classifications in relationship to the availability of such persons having requisite qualifications. Affirmative action plans may not include hiring or employment preferences based on gender or race, including color, ethnicity or national origin. Such affirmative action will also include recruitment, selection, training, education and other programs. 

The superintendent will develop an affirmative action plan which specifies the personnel procedures to be followed by the staff of the District and will ensure that no such procedures discriminate against any individual. Reasonable steps will be taken to promote employment opportunities of those classes that are recognized as protected groups — aged, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities and women and Vietnam veterans, although under state law, racial minorities, and women may not be treated preferentially in public employment. 

This policy, as well as the affirmative action plan, regulations and procedures developed according to it, will be disseminated widely to staff in all classifications and to all interested patrons and organizations. Progress toward the goals established under this policy will be reported annually to the Board. 

Employment of Persons with Disabilities 

In order to fulfill its commitment of nondiscrimination to those with disabilities, the following conditions will prevail: 

1. No qualified person with disabilities will, solely by reason of a disability, be subjected to discrimination and the District will not limit, segregate or classify any applicants for employment or any staff member in any way that adversely affects his/her opportunities or status because of a disability. This prohibition applies to all aspects of employment from recruitment to promotions, and includes fringe benefits and other elements of compensation. 

2.The District will make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified disabled applicant or staff member unless it is clearthat anaccommodation would impose an unduehardship on the operation of theDistrict program. Such reasonable accommodations may include:

In determining whether or not accommodation would impose an undue hardship on theDistrict, factorsto beconsidered include the nature and cost of theaccommodation.

3.The District will not use any employment tests or criteria that screenout persons with disabilities unless the test or criteria isclearlyandspecifically job-related. Also, theDistrict will not use such tests or criteria ifalternative tests or criteria(that do not screenout persons with disabilities) areavailable.

4.While the District may not make pre-employment inquiry as to whether an applicant hasa disability or as to thenature and severity ofany such disability, it may inquire into an applicant’s ability to perform job-related functions.

5.Any staff member who believes that therehas been a violation of this policy or the lawprohibiting discrimination because of a disability may initiate a grievance through theprocedures for staff complaints.

Nondiscrimination for Military Service

The District will not discriminate against any person who is a member of,applies to be a memberor performs, has performed, applies to perform orhas an obligation to perform service in auniformed service, on the basis of that participation in a uniformed service.This includes initial employment, retention in employment, promotion or any benefit of employment. TheDistrict will also not discriminate against any person who has participated in theenforcement of theserights under state or federal law.

Legal References:

Adoption:

(Formerly #5011)
(Formally # 8900)