Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist 1

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) seeks a qualified individual for an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist 1 position.   Position #115415. Location: Middletown, CT.  This is a full-time forty (40) hours per week position, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM with occasional off shift work in order to accommodate work assignments.

This position reports to the Equal Employment Opportunity Director and is primarily responsible for professional Affirmative Action duties.

Professional Affirmative Action duties include:

• Developing and implementing Affirmative Action programs within the DMHAS;
• Mitigating employee discrimination complaints through mediations or investigations and preparing reports on findings;
• Handling ADA reasonable accommodation requests;
• Monitoring anti-discrimination laws and updating agency policies/procedures to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
• Monitoring hiring transactions and approving position selections for assigned facilities;
• Conducting training for existing and new employees on EEO laws;
• Assisting the EEO Director with the development and implementation of the DMHAS annual Affirmative Action Plan. 

Please ensure your application is complete.  You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system. 

Questions about this recruitment should be directed to  Cheryl Thompson, DMHAS Human Resources, Cheryl.Thompson@ct.gov or (860) 418-6876.

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee, who has permanent state status* and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application.

*For employees in the classified service, permanent status is obtained after successful completion of a working test period.  For employees in the unclassified service, permanent status is obtained after serving in a position for at least six months (full-time or full-time equivalent).

In a state agency this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks for an Equal Employment Opportunity program.

Compiles and analyzes statistical affirmative action data; develops and implements affirmative action plans; develops and/or revises equal employment opportunity procedures; defines and conducts outreach initiatives to include recruitment efforts through community and minority organizations and career fairs; conducts career counseling; conducts discrimination complaint investigations; counsels staff on equal employment opportunity matters; reviews supplier contracts to ensure incorporation of affirmative action considerations; prepares reports; assists Equal Employment Opportunity staff with special projects; assists in training activities; may participate in employment interviews; may assist in development of equal employment opportunity policy; may assist in monitoring agency compliance with State of Connecticut Minority & Small Contractor's Set Aside Program; may participate in administering affirmative action for patient, student, inmate and/or client rights programs; may serve as the agency's ADA coordinator; performs related duties as required.

Knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; knowledge of affirmative action programs; knowledge of interviewing and counseling techniques; knowledge of merit system selection process including recruitment, examination and classification; knowledge of needs and issues of patients, inmates, students and/or clients; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; ability to develop and implement affirmative action plans; ability to compile, analyze and evaluate human resource records and statistical information; investigatory ability; ability to assess and define training requirements; ability to utilize human resources information systems.

Six (6) years of professional experience in affirmative action, equal opportunity assurance or human resources management.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have involved primary responsibility for affirmative action or equal opportunity assurance in an employment setting.

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in public administration, human resources management, labor relations or a closely related field or a law degree may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. For state employees two (2) years of experience as an Equal Employment Opportunity Assistant may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

Preference will be given to candidates who possess:

• Experience in the field of diversity and inclusion, civil rights, statistical analysis and human resources;
• Experience coordinating reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• Investigatory experience;
• Training experience;
• Knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations pertaining to Affirmative Action;
• Knowledge or experience developing State of Connecticut Affirmative Actions Plans;
• Knowledge of counseling or mediation techniques;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to utilize CORE/PeopleSoft and Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, & Word);
• Ability to utilize human resource information systems;
• Ability to compile, analyze and evaluate human resource data.

1. Incumbents in this class will be required to travel.
2. In accordance with Connecticut General Statute, incumbents in this class must complete five (5) hours of training during the first year of service or designation and a minimum of three (3) hours biannually thereafter. This training shall include (1) state and federal discrimination laws and (2) internal discrimination investigation techniques which will be provided by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.