Multnomah County leaders brief commissioners on response to 2025 equity audit; most recommendations accepted or partially accepted

At a hybrid Multnomah County Board of Commissioners meeting, county executives presented the organization's formal response to the 2025 equity audit and answered commissioners' questions about next steps, data access and manager accountability.

The briefing matters because the audit identified retention and accountability gaps that affect the county workforce and service delivery. County leaders said their responses align with the county's Workforce Equity Strategic Plan (WESP) and other ongoing efforts, and they identified areas — notably manager feedback systems and data access — that will require additional work and resources.

Chief Operating Officer Christopher Neil opened the county presentation, calling the equity audit “very, very, very important” and saying many findings align with recent employment trends the county has tracked. Neil summarized the county's position that of 16 countywide recommendations, 9 were accepted without qualification, 6 were accepted in part and 1 was not accepted.

The audit and departmental responses overlap with work already underway in the county’s Workforce Equity Strategic Plan 2024–2028, the county said. County presenters highlighted four themes the audit and recent employment trends report flagged: higher separation rates for Black employees, higher separation rates for some LGBTQIA+ employees, uneven onboarding and a need for clearer career pathways. Neil said the county is expanding mentoring and onboarding programs, improving annual performance reviews and creating a career-management module in Workday.

On one high-profile recommendation — annual 360-degree reviews for managers — county leaders said implementation is a priority but will require resources and operational decisions. Neil and HR staff said some departments already use internal 360 tools and that a Workday-recorded feedback pilot exists; the county will work to standardize practices and consider how equity analysts will access aggregated results.

County Auditor Jennifer McGwirth explained why her office recommended annual 360 reviews for managers and anonymous exit surveys. “Lack of accountability was a theme” across interviews for the audit, she said, and adding 360s and exit surveys would help identify patterns of problematic behavior and reinforce accountability alongside existing microaggression reporting protocols.

Commissioners pressed on details. Commissioner Moyer asked whether the retention actions addressed both Black-identified and LGBTQIA+ employees; county staff clarified that actions target both groups, with specific retention supports such as mentoring and wellness groups. Commissioners also asked whether 360-review data and exit surveys would be anonymous; county staff said the intent is to use anonymous, aggregated data for analysis. On the recommendation to give equity data analysts access to detailed Workday reports, Chris Neil said HR data is highly confidential and that analysts will instead get aggregated departmental data through a proposed data consortium.

The single countywide recommendation the county did not accept proposed modifying personnel rules to allow employees to work outside the United States for a limited duration. County speakers cited barriers including insurance, taxation and workers’ compensation; Travis Brown, identified as the county’s CHRO during the briefing, said leadership had reviewed the idea and concluded it is not feasible at this time. “We do not allow international telework at all,” Brown said.

Presenters pointed to some positive workforce trends: the county’s race-and-ethnicity diversity index rose from 5.5 in 2020 to 6.2 in 2025 (the slide compared that to a 5.3 index for the broader community). County officials also noted existing department-level equity work — embedded equity practices in some divisions, departmental equity managers and a microaggression reporting protocol rolled out Jan. 20, 2025 — and said department-specific responses to the audit appear in an appendix to the county’s response letter.

County leaders committed to follow-ups: central HR will report back on the budget note and implementation details for 360 reviews, and the new chief diversity equity officer — recently posted, officials said — will have responsibilities for coordinating WESP implementation and accountability. The auditor asked that 360s and anonymous exit-survey data be entered into Workday so patterns can be analyzed consistently; county staff said they will consider operational questions about storage and access.

The briefing concluded with commissioners expressing support for accountability measures for managers while emphasizing the need to support frontline staff and avoid punitive uses of feedback tools. The presentation was informational; no board action was taken.

Looking ahead, county staff said they will return with more specifics on timelines, resource needs and the technical approach to aggregated data access and 360-review implementation.