Area of Concern

• Underutilization of females in Job Group  Skilled Craft where external hiring opportunities occurred.
• Concern regarding low female applicant flow rate resulting from inadequate recruitment for job group.

Corrective Action

No later than 5/1/2024, Larimer County recruiting team will continue to post jobs with job boards and sources that market to women. Human Resources will continue to provide education and development around awareness of hiring of females in this job category.

Area of Concern

• Underutilization of minorities in Job Group Officials and Administrators.
• Concern regarding low minority applicant flow rate resulting from inadequate recruitment for job group. 

Corrective Action

No later than 5/1/2024, Larimer County recruiting team will continue to build relationships via job boards for the recruiting and hiring of minorities in these job categories. This is also an objective of Larimer County’s strategic plan for the next 5 years.

Larimer County has instituted action programs to eliminate identified problem areas and to help achieve specific affirmative action goals. These programs include:

1. Conducting annual analyses of at least 33% of all job descriptions to ensure they accurately reflect job functions;
2. Making job descriptions available to recruiting sources and available to all members of management involved in the recruiting, screening, selection and promotion processes;
3. Evaluating the total selection process to ensure freedom from bias through:
   • Reviewing job applications and other pre-employment forms to ensure information requested is job-related;
   • Evaluating selection methods that may have a disparate impact to ensure that they are job-related and consistent with business necessity;
   • Training personnel and management staff on proper interview techniques; and
   • Training in EEO for management and supervisory staff;
4. Evaluating the total selection process to ensure freedom from bias through:
   • Reviewing job applications and other pre-employment forms to ensure information requested is job-related;
   • Evaluating selection methods that may have a disparate impact to ensure that they are job-related and consistent with business necessity;
   • Training personnel and management staff on proper interview techniques; and
   • Training in EEO for management and supervisory staff;
5. Using techniques to improve recruitment and increase the flow of minority and female applicants. Larimer County presently undertakes the following actions:
   • Include the phrase "Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer" in all printed employment advertisements;
   • Place help wanted advertisement, when appropriate, in local minority news media and women's interest media;
   • Disseminate information on job opportunities to organizations representing minorities, women and employment development agencies when job opportunities occur;
   • Actively recruit at secondary schools, junior colleges, colleges and universities with predominantly minority or female enrollments as appropriate; and
   • Request employment agencies to refer qualified minorities and women;
   • Post jobs with Disability Solutions to increase recruiting of individuals with disabilities;
   • Add a statement to our recruiting page inviting women and minorities to apply even when they believe they may not meet all of the tasks listed in the job posting.
6. Ensuring that all employees are given equal opportunity for promotion. This is achieved by:
   • Posting promotional opportunities;
   • Offering support to assist employees in identifying promotional opportunities, training and educational programs to enhance promotions and opportunities for job rotation or transfer; and
   • Evaluating job requirements for promotion.
   • Post jobs with Abilityjobs.com and use their ADA badge on our webpage to increase recruiting of individuals with disabilities

Larimer County reviews annually its personnel processes to determine whether its present procedures assure careful, thorough and systematic consideration of the qualifications of known individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. This review covers all procedures related to the filling of job vacancies either by hire or by promotion, as well as all training opportunities offered or made available to employees.

In determining the qualifications of veterans, Larimer County limits its consideration of a protected veteran’s military record, including discharge papers, to only that portion of the record, which is relevant to the specific job qualifications for which the veteran is being considered.

Based upon Larimer County’s review of its personnel processes, Larimer County Government will modify the personnel processes when necessary, and will include the development of new procedures in this Affirmative Action Program to ensure equal employment opportunity. To date, no modifications have been necessary.

The physical and mental job qualifications of Larimer County jobs were reviewed during calendar year 2019 to ensure that, to the extent that such qualification requirements tend to screen out qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified disabled veterans, job qualifications are consistent with business necessity and the safe performance of the job.

No qualification requirements were identified that are likely to have a screening effect. All job qualification requirements were found to be job-related and consistent with business necessity and safety.

Larimer County Government will continue to review physical and mental job qualification requirements whenever a job is vacated and the organization intends to fill it through either hiring or promotion and will conduct a qualifications review whenever job duties change.

If at any time in the future, Larimer County Government should inquire into an employee’s physical or mental condition or should conduct a medical examination, Larimer County Government affirms that such inquiries or exams will be conducted in accordance with the Section 503 regulations and that information obtained as a result of the inquiry or exam will be kept confidential, except as otherwise provided for in the Section 503 regulations. The results of the examination or inquiry will only be used in accordance with the Section 503 Regulations.

Larimer County Government commits to making reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified disabled veterans, unless such accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the conduct of its business. Larimer County Government also commits to engaging in an interactive process with the person requesting the accommodation (or their representative), as needed, to determine an appropriate accommodation. Undue hardship will be determined by assessing whether the requested accommodation would cause significant difficulty or expense, as provided for in the Section 503 regulations.

Employees and applicants of Larimer County Government will not be subject to harassment because of disability or their status as a protected veteran. If an employee or applicant believes that he/she has been subject to harassment, he/she may file a complaint with the Human Resources Department. Any employee or applicant who believes that they have been subject to harassment because of their disability or status as a protected veteran should promptly contact a manager in their chain of command, or promptly contact the Inclusion Administrator at 970-498-5973 for assistance. 

Retaliation, including intimidation, threat, or coercion, against an employee or applicant because they have objected to discrimination, engaged or may engage in filing a complaint, assisted in a review, investigation, or hearing or have otherwise sought to obtain their legal rights under any Federal, State, or local EEO law regarding individuals with disabilities or protected veterans is prohibited. Any employee or applicant who believes that they have been subject to retaliation because of their disability or status as a protected veteran should contact the Inclusion Administrator at 970-498-5973 for assistance.

This policy is communicated to all employees and supervisors annually; and a notice is posted in the Human Resources office.

All subcontractors, vendors and suppliers have been sent written notification of Larimer County’s Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policy regarding the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified protected veterans. All recruiting sources, including State employment agencies, educational institutions and social service agencies have been informed of the company’s policy concerning the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified protected veterans and have been advised to actively recruit and refer qualified persons for job opportunities.

Larimer County Government lists all suitable employment openings with the appropriate employment service delivery system where the openings occur and maintains regular contact with the local Veterans Employment Representative.

Formal arrangements have been made to ensure that each recruitment source is provided with timely notice of job opportunities, to ensure that recruitment sources have an opportunity to refer qualified candidates.

Larimer County Government participates in local job fairs sponsored by support groups for individuals with disabilities and veterans.

The equal employment opportunity clause concerning the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified protected veterans are included in all non-exempt subcontracts and purchase orders.

Copies of our affirmative action programs will be made available for inspection to any employee or applicant upon request to promote understanding, acceptance and support. Policies are re-emphasized to managers and supervisors annually.

Larimer County Government’s EEO posters are posted on bulletin boards located throughout our facilities and office work areas.

All applicants have been invited to identify themselves as an individual with a disability, as defined in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and/or as a protected veteran under the equal employment opportunity provisions of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, if they wish to benefit under this affirmative action program. Such invitation has been posted on bulletin boards throughout the facility and work areas. Employees may self-identify at anytime.

When making internal Equal Opportunity audits, implementation of this affirmative action program will be reviewed.