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San Joaquin County EEO plan outlines training, employee resource groups, mediation and data tracking
Summary
At its May 7 meeting the county EEO office reviewed its newly approved 2024–2026 EEO plan and described goals including updated nondiscrimination policies, an expanded training slate, establishment of employee resource groups and a mediation framework; the plan will be reported to the Board of Supervisors on an ongoing basis.
At a May 7 meeting of the Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee (EEOAC) for San Joaquin County, EEO program manager David Davis presented the county's 2024'2026 equal employment opportunity (EEO) plan and summarized the office's goals and next steps.
"On 05/07/2025, the 2024 through 2026 EEO plan was approved," Davis said, and he told committee members the office will report back at future meetings on progress toward each goal.
Why it matters: The plan sets the county's operational priorities for preventing discrimination and improving inclusion across the workforce, including training for employees and leaders, new dispute-resolution options and improved data collection to identify disparities.
Davis described the plan's principal objectives: update county rules and policies on discrimination, harassment and retaliation to ensure consistency with federal and state law; provide EEO-related education and training to all county staff; increase the capacity of department-level EEO coordinators to handle informal complaints; research best practices for diversity and inclusion programs; and implement routine tracking and reporting of civil service Rule 20 complaints.
The plan also calls for establishing a mediation process to resolve Rule 20 complaints at the informal level and for automating exit interviews to increase participation and identify turnover patterns. Davis said the EEO office will prepare and deliver an annual report to the Board of Supervisors and coordinate with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission where appropriate.
Employee resource groups and partnerships: The plan proposes forming employee resource groups (ERGs) that are employee-led and supported by the EEO office. Orianna Mahoney, staff development coordinator, explained how ERGs would be run: employees propose a group, HR helps publicize it via countywide email blasts, and the EEO office would maintain a roster of active groups. Mahoney added the office will use existing department contacts and training processors to reach employees who lack regular email access.
Mediation and outside support: Committee members asked whether mediation services would be provided by consultants or trained internal staff. Rachel Nowetzky, assistant director of human resources, said the upcoming fiscal-year budget includes funds to hire a consultant to help develop a mediation framework and related training; the county may also pursue a train-the-trainer model to sustain the program locally.
Data collection and accountability: The plan directs the EEO office to implement a more robust system for collecting demographic data related to hiring, promotions and employee satisfaction, and to set accountability measures for managers. Davis said those measures could include linking EEO goals to performance evaluations.
Board approval: Davis and other staff said the plan was approved by the Board of Supervisors in May. David Davis said May 7 was the approval date; Rachel Nowetzky later noted for the record that the board adopted the plan on May 13.
Next steps and transparency: Davis told the committee the EEO office will bring implementation updates to future EEOAC meetings and invited committee participation on specific objectives.
Ending: Committee members requested further detail on reasonable-accommodation procedures, the ERG rollout and mediation procurement; staff said they will return with implementation timelines and opportunities for committee input.
