Equal Employment Opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, age, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, religion or disability, is the law of this State. As embodied in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended in 1972, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, Executive Order No. 61, N.J.S.A. 11A:7-1 et seq., and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, I, Rolando Torres, Jr., Commissioner of the Department of Personnel, declare that the policy and mandate of the Department of Personnel is to insure equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment via the EEO and Workforce Development Plan process and the Department’s operating regulations. This EEO and Workforce Development Plan will consider future workforce needs and outline EEO activities. This policy and mandate includes but is not limited to recruitment, selection, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, facility accessibility, reasonable accommodation, layoff, return from layoff, compensation and fringe benefits. Equal Employment Opportunity also includes policies, procedures, and programs for recruitment, employment, training, promotion and retention of minorities, persons with disabilities, and women. The Department commits to these same principles relative to its statutory mission to provide human resources services to the Executive Branch of Government, and as required or requested to other governmental and public entities, and/or citizens.

Internal employment practices will be reviewed routinely to ensure that protected class employees and applicants for employment are receiving fair and equal consideration for job opportunities, especially in the Officials/Administrators and Professionals categories. Affirmative actions shall be taken to encourage minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to apply for positions within the Department of Personnel. The Division of EEO/AA within the Department of Personnel will monitor such employment practices by state agencies, including the Department itself, as appropriate, according to its statutory and regulatory mission.

All personnel actions such as compensation benefits, transfers, layoffs, training, education, training assistance, facility accessibility, reasonable accommodation, and social and recreational programs will be administered without regard to race, national origin or ancestry, color, sex, marital/civil union status, religion, age, disability, political affiliations, or other non-job related criteria.

All State employees have a responsibility to maintain high standards of honesty, integrity, and impartiality in the performance of the State’s official business. Employee’s conduct which violates these standards will not be condoned. Sexual harassment is a form of employee misconduct, which is prohibited.

This Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy Statement will be available to all employees, applicants, vendors/contractors, and citizens on the Department’s premises and via its web site. All departmental employees must comply with this policy and those of this State. All managers, supervisors, the Personnel Officer, and the EEO/AA Officer will be held responsible for the implementation and management of the EEO and Workforce Development Plan. This will be accomplished by incorporating workforce plan/equal employment opportunity efforts and results into the annual objectives and education of every supervisor and manager. Good faith efforts will be made to meet employment and policy goals as adopted.

This policy statement will be made available to all employees via posting along with general equal employment opportunity/affirmative action information on bulletin boards in conspicuous locations throughout the organization.