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Advisory committee reviews protected‑classes language and schedules Juneteenth and Pride proclamations
Summary
Members of the Tompkins County Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee reviewed the county Equal Employment Opportunity policy, identified additional categories to consider for protected‑class coverage, and assigned volunteers to prepare Juneteenth and Pride proclamations for upcoming legislature meetings.
The Tompkins County Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee discussed whether to expand or better enumerate the county’s protected classes and moved to seek legal and HR guidance before recommending policy changes.
Irene (speaker 5) circulated a morning email with comparative lists from the city of Ithaca, the New York State Attorney General’s office, Cornell University and other municipalities. She read the county’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy aloud, noting the policy lists protected groups "including, but not limited to, race, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, or any other group protected by law." Irene proposed compiling a spreadsheet comparing Tompkins County’s current list against other local policies to guide recommendations.
Committee members suggested possible additions to enumerate clearly (as examples gathered from other jurisdictions): marital/partnership status, familial or caregiver status, survivor status for domestic violence or stalking, genetic predisposition/carrier status, arrest or conviction record (with exceptions), lawful source of income (e.g., Section 8 vouchers), citizenship/immigration status, perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, credit history, reproductive health decisions and pregnancy/lactation status. Members emphasized that state and federal protections supersede local policy where applicable and recommended checking with the county attorney and HR to identify which categories the county can and should enumerate.
On proclamations and scheduling, the committee reviewed upcoming dates: Juneteenth (June 19) and LGBTQI+ Pride month proclamations were discussed for the June 16 Legislature meeting (agenda posts June 9; proclamations are typically due the Friday before the agenda). The committee volunteered members to draft and review the proclamations and noted that because WDIC meets late in the month, proclamations drafted at a WDIC meeting often cannot reach the Legislature until the next month; members agreed to begin earlier so proclamations can be presented during or near the designated month.
Next steps: committee volunteers (including Rachel Graham, Irene and Chris) will draft proclamation language and Irene offered to compile comparative policy spreadsheets; the chair will check with county administration, HR and the county attorney about the scheduled EEO policy review and jurisdictional constraints before the committee pursues enumerating new protected categories.
