OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION (ODI)

1. OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION(ODI) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center May 10, 2012 Mr. Andy Gonzalez, EEO Specialist, VA Office of Diversity and Inclusion (VACO)

2. Subject Matter Overview • Special Emphasis Programs Authority • Employment Program Legal Authority • Employment Program Objectives • SEPM Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Roles and Responsibilities • A.S.P.I.R.E. • Summary

3. Special Emphasis Employment Program: Legal Authority • In 1969 Executive Order 11478 establishes Equal Employment Opportunity in the Federal Government. • 29 CFR 1614 (EEO) • 5 CFR Part 720 (HR)

4. Primary Role Primary Role of Special Emphasis Program Manager (SEPM) is to work WITH management, as a part of the management team, to address barriers to Equal Employment Opportunity such as personnel/employment policies, procedures & practices that may have a negative or discriminatory impact on the demographic group they correspond to.

5. SEPM Objectives • Assist managers to Identify potential discriminatory practices for the purpose of elimination • Monitor workforce for areas of under-representation or underutilization • Evaluate employment practices for potential unequal/adverse impact or treatment • Recommend changes to managers and eliminate barriers • Market the program and its educational opportunities

6. SEPM Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Know Your Workforce • Knowledge of applicable EEO and HR policy • Knowledge of employee concerns • Skill in identifying internal and external recruitment efforts along with retention and reward programs • Skill in recommending to top management changes in personnel policies, practices, and procedures • Ability to initiate Affirmative Employment efforts • Ability to monitor and evaluate Affirmative Employment Program Progress and evaluate results

7. SEPM Roles and Responsibilities • Analyzes workforce profile statistics to determine underrepresentation, underutilization, and hiring trends pertaining to employees. • Identifies barriers, both internally and externally, that impede equitable employment. • Builds partnerships with Human Resources and Outreach professionals in an effort to define recruitment and succession planning goals. • Works to link the organization’s mission to diversity initiatives and affirmative employment goals. • Provides advice and assistance in building a performance management system that holds managers and supervisors accountable to hiring and retaining a diverse, inclusive workforce.

8. SEPM Roles and Responsibilities • Serves as an internal consultant to management, meeting and discussing employment challenges and concerns. • Creates and/or delivers training on issues regarding civil rights compliance and cultural sensitivity. • Develops strong relationship with SEPMs inside and agency in an effort to research and implement best practices. • Seeks to form partnerships/working relationships with Affinity organizations that can help us achieve our recruitment, employment, and training goals. • Coordinates and implements activities in observing applicable Heritage Month.

9. A.S.P.I.R.E. • Assess/Analyze • Strategize • Plan • Implementation • Review • Evaluate

10. Assess/Analyze • Population Demographics • Workforce Succession Plans • Areas of under-representation exist • Training utilization stats & policies • Awards distribution stats & policies • Hiring and Separation stats • Retirement eligibility • Promotion stats • Applicant Flow • Barrier analysis • Generational Differences • Complaints and Corrective Actions • Legislative initiatives • Managerial Performance Standards

11. Workforce Analysis

12. Workforce Analysis • Representation in 20 MCOs

13. Strategize • Targeted Recruitment and Retention Strategies - Job Vacancies and Announcements - Estimate of Opportunities - Educational Requirements - Ranking and Rating Factors - Awards programs • Develop Training Programs - Preparing Resumes - Recruitment Strategies for Supervisors - Membership Organization Pipeline building - Career Counseling and Development - Mentoring/Coaching • Accountability Recommendations - Diversity-business integration - Business case development - Leverage reward potential

14. Plan • Meet with management to discuss objectives. • Market a strategy to address issues identified in the Assessment/Analysis step. • Identify what success looks like • Develop a work plan based on strategic vision. • Seek to identify environment of functional accountability • Meet with management. • Incorporate results of analyses & actions that need to be taken into your respective Agency.

15. Plan (sample)

16. Implement • Identify short and long term projects • Set personal goals for program success • Talk to people • Develop a committee to help with implementation • Don’t promise more than you can deliver

17. Review • Monitor progress in all areas of your plan • Assess personal performance and that of your team • Check with supervisor on progress • Identify possible future areas of opportunity for action

18. Evaluate • Identify what works and does not work • Determine return on investment • Identify areas of expansion or contraction • Rework your plan

19. Summary • Legal authority exist for the SEP Employment Program. • As a SEPM, you are a part of the Management Team. • Your primary role is to work WITH management to address barriers that may have a negative or discriminatory impact on their constituencies. • As an SEPM, you should be viewed as the Subject Matter Expert and Staff Advisor relative to employee issues/concerns. • Goalsof Special Emphasis Programs are to assist management in eliminating discriminatory practices/policies and areas of under-representation/underutilization. • A.S.P.I.R.E. can be a powerful tool.

20. Parting Thought • VA Office of Diversity and Inclusion (VACO Station 101) • Andy.gonzalez@va.gov • (202) 299-4320

21. QUESTIONS? Office of Diversity and Inclusion U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (202) 299.4320 odi@va.gov