HERO reports improved outreach, faster RFPs and higher recoveries; seeks modest staffing reallocations

Deputy directors Beth Comer and Andrea Ledger reported measurable performance improvements in the Human Rights, Equal Opportunity and Workforce (HERO) department and proposed modest staffing reallocations while flagging uncertainty in federal fee-for-service contracts.

Comer said HERO set multi-year goals focused on expanding equity in contracting through the CERT certification program, strengthening human-rights and labor-standards enforcement, and improving staff retention via onboarding and internal promotion. "We have worked really hard to build up the CERT program," Comer said, describing CERT as the city's certification initiative for small businesses in the metro area.

Key metrics presented to the committee include outreach events increasing from about five to 51 year-over-year, the procurement request-for-proposals average cycle time falling from 136 days in 2023 to 74 days in 2025, and marked increases in hours and dollars recovered through labor-standards enforcement. The department also reported a 65% increase in cases filed through the PCR process following outreach efforts.

Andrea Ledger described procurement improvements as driven by training, cross-training and process changes that shortened RFP evaluation and contract negotiation timelines. Ledger said requests-for-bids (construction and goods) have remained low because those processes rely on low-bid selection and have different timelines.

HERO outlined inclusion work tied to CERT certification and subcontracting requirements: the department participated in a state-led disparity study and now uses a third-party consultant to administer CERT with quicker turnaround times and verification audits. Ledger said subcontracting inclusion for projects measured 28% in provider-reported data and that staff plan further outreach to micro businesses in 2026.

On enforcement, Comer said the department has increased case resolutions and emphasized settlement agreements aimed at policy-level corrections. She also urged the council to adopt enabling language for administrative citations for wage theft, earned sick and safe time and minimum wage enforcement, saying HERO already has draft language prepared and recommended ordinance-by-ordinance enabling language.

Comer warned that HERO's federal fee-for-service arrangements with HUD and EEOC are uncertain; the department expects changes at the federal level that may affect those reimbursements. The department proposed reducing the count of labor-standards investigators from five to four given current workload and adjusting a 0.6 investigator role.

No formal staffing actions were approved at the meeting; HERO said it would return with follow-up details and recommended ordinance language when appropriate.