ADMINISTRATIVE MEMORANDUM

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

SUBJECT: Discrimination Complaint Procedure

RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT: Personnel

NUMBER: E-2

DATE: February 1, 1984

If employees or applicants for employment feel they have been discriminated against by the county or one of its departments, there are several recourses available to them. Complaints of alleged discrimination can be filed with the Affirmative Action Officer, the Civil Service Commission, the employee’s designated employee organization, or with any other agency which handles these complaints.

Employees are encouraged to discuss the complaint with their immediate supervisor. However, if this is inappropriate in the judgment of the complainant or if the complaint is not resolved through such discussion, the employee may file the discrimination complaint through any other means available to the complainant including the one outlined in this memorandum.

To file a complaint with the Affirmative Action Officer the following procedure should be used:

  1. Contact the Affirmative Action Officer in the County Personnel Department.
  2. The Affirmative Action Officer will accept discrimination complaints filed by any county employee or applicant for county employment who believes that he or she has been denied equal employment opportunity because of his or her race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, or any criteria not related to the job.
  3. Discrimination-complaints filed with the Affirmative Action Officer should be received within thirty (30) calendar days of the alleged discriminatory act. The Affirmative Action Officer will acknowledge, in writing, all written complaints within fourteen (14) calendar days of the receipt of the complaint and will proceed with the investigation.
  4. Confidentiality will be maintained as far as possible in the investigation of the complaint. If it is necessary to identify the complainant, he or she will be notified in advance and will be told why it is necessary to identify him or her. If the complainant is not willing to have his or her name released, and the case cannot proceed without this permission, the case will be closed and the complainant will be notified in writing.
  5. Employees shall not be subjected to intimidation, coercion, or discrimination of any kind as a result of a discrimination complaint. Any adverse action which an employee believes was taken because of participation in a complaint should be reported to the Affirmative Action Officer.
  6. The Affirmative Action Officer, upon completion of the investigation, shall present the findings to the appropriate department head. This department head will provide the complainant with an opportunity to discuss the complaint before reaching a decision.
  7. If the Affirmative Action Officer does not agree with the resolution of the complaint, the matter will be referred to the County Manager whose decisions are final.
2015-05-12