Section1: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)Policy Statement

UlsterCountyAreaTransit, includingits sub recipients and contractors (UCAT), affirms its commitment to treat all applicants for employment and employees equallywithout regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, veterans’status, marital status orother class prohibited bylocal, StateorFederal law.UCATis an Equal Employment Opportunityemployer.  It is prohibited for UCATor anyofits employees to discriminateagainst an applicant for employmentor anotheremployeeon thebasis of race,color, andreligious creed, sex, age, nationalorigin, oranyotherbasisprohibited by local, StateorFederal law, orto be excluded from participation in, ordenied thebenefits of, orbesubject to discrimination under anyproject, program, oractivityfunded in whole orin part through Federal financial assistance.

UlsterCountyAreaTransit (UCAT)supports the concept ofan activeaffirmative action program consistent withFederal laws,court decisions, Executive Orders, and regulations, including goals and timetables, in orderto overcomethe effects ofpast discrimination on minorities and women.

The UlsterCountyExecutiveis recognized as thepoint of final authorityand responsibilityfor UCAT’s EEOPlan.The DirectorofPublic Transportation has immediate and continuingadministrativeresponsibilityand authority, which is delegated bythe UlsterCountyExecutive, in matters relatedto the UCAT’s total equal employment affirmativeaction obligations.

The responsibilityfortheimplementationofthe EEOProgram is assigned to the Director ofPublic Transportation,as EEO Director.All UCATmanagersand supervisors sharein the responsibilityof ensuringcomplianceis achieved through understanding, communicating,and activeinvolvement in thesupport ofthis policy.Performance evaluations ofmanagersand supervisors shall include evaluatingthesuccess ofthe EEO program in thesamemanner as performanceon othergoals.

UCATis committed to undertakean affirmativeaction program to includethe development ofgoals and timetables to help guidetheimplementation ofthe EEO program and measureprogress.  Thesuccessful achievement of EEOgoals will provide benefits to UCATthrough fullerutilization and development ofpreviouslyunderutilized human resources.

Applicants and employees havethe right to file complaints allegingdiscrimination with the DirectorofPublic Transit, UlsterCountyPersonnel Officer, Supervisors, Managers, Federal orStateCivil Rights Commissions, and the EEOC.

This policyextends to all areas of employment includingrecruitment, selection and placement, compensation, promotion, transfer, discipline, demotion, lay-off, termination,

training, dailyworking conditions, benefits and all otherterms and conditions of employment.

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Equal PayAct of1963, 29 U.S.C. 201

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TitleVIoftheCivil Rights Act of1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d

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TitleVIIoftheCivil Rights Act of1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000e

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UMT Act of1964, asamended, 49 U.S.C. 1601

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Age Discrimination in Employment Act of1967,29 U.S.C. 633a

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TitleIXofthe Education Amendments of1972, PublicLaw92-318

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Section 504 oftheRehabilitation Act of1973, 29 U.S.C. 794

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28 CFR Part 42, Subpart F, “Coordination of Enforcement ofNondiscrimination in FederallyAssisted Programs”

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29 CFR Part 1605, “Guidelines on Discrimination BecauseofReligion”

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29 CFR Part 1606, “Guidelines on Discrimination BecauseofNational Origin”

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29 CFR Part 1607, “Uniform Guidelines on EmployeeSelection Procedures”

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29 CFR Part 1620, “TheEqual PayAct”

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29 CFR Part 1625, “AgeDiscrimination in Employment Act”

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49 CFR Part 21, “Nondiscrimination in FederallyAssisted Programs ofthe Department ofTransportation-Effectuation of TitleVIoftheCivil RightsAct of 1964”

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49 CFR Part 27, “Nondiscrimination on theBasisof Handicap inFinancial AssistancePrograms”

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DOT Order1000.12, “Implementation ofthe Department of Transportation TitleVI Program,”dated 1-19-77

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PartII, Section 110(a)oftheFTAStandard Grant Contract, dated 9-87

This policywill beupdated at least once every3years.Supervisorsand managerswill meet semi-annuallyto discuss compliance with this program and EEOimplementation progress.  UCAT will meet annuallywith minorityand femaleemployees toobtain suggestions on EEOprogram implementation.  All UCAT employees arereceiving DiversityAwareness Trainingannuallyas part ofUlsterCounty’semployeetraining program.A copyofthis policycan be found in the employeepersonnel policies and procedures manual, on employeenoticeboards,recruiting application packages, and posted on UCAT’s website.

UCAT exceeds established threshold criteriagoverningEqual EmploymentOpportunity (EEO)program requirements and reportingprocesses.  Accordingto theU.S. Department of Transportation’sUMTAC 4701.1 circulardated July26, 1988, publictransit agencies receiving Federal fundingassistancein excess of$1 million in theprevious Federal

Fiscal Yearand employing50 ormoretransit-related employees must prepare, implement and evaluatea formalized EEOprogram plan.

Formalized communication mechanisms havebeen established to publicize and disseminate UCAT’s EEOPolicy, as well as appropriate elements oftheprogram, to its employees, applicants,and thegeneral public.Formalized communication mechanisms

havebeen divided into two primarycategories: External Dissemination andInternal Dissemination.

To ensurethat all members ofthestaffarecognizant ofour equal employment opportunitypolicyand theirindividual responsibilities in carryingout this policy, the followingcommunication efforts will bemade:

TheCounty’semployment application forms contain anoticeinformingprospective employees that discrimination becauseof race,color, religion, national origin orsexis prohibited and that theymaynotifytheappropriatelocal, StateorFederal

agencyiftheybelievetheyhavebeen thevictimsof discrimination.

Appropriatenotices havebeen posted informingapplicants and employeesthat Ulster CountyArea Transit is an Equal OpportunityEmployerand oftheirright to notifyan appropriatelocal, StateorFederalagencyiftheybelievetheyhavebeenthe victims of discrimination.  A copyofthis policycan be foundin the employeepersonnel policies and procedures manual, on employeenoticeboards, recruitingapplicationpackages, and posted on UCAT’s website.

We will seek the cooperation ofunions to help implement our EEOprogram and all union contracts containanondiscrimination clause.

The EEOPlan will bedisseminated undertheguidanceofthe UCAT DirectorofPublic Transit. Thegeneralguidelines for external dissemination shall be:

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Appropriatemedia (particularlythoseservingspecificgroups, i.e. minoritygroups, womenand disabled);

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Public and private employment agencies; and

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Schools, colleges,and trainingorganizations.

The followingis alist ofmedia contacted orutilized when issuingpress releases and/or postingpublicinformation and notices:

Inaddition, all advertisements for employment will contain the following statement, "Minorities, women anddisabled encouraged to apply”and "Equal Opportunity Employer" at thebottom ofthe advertisement.EEOposters, areposted onapermanent basis in the administration office,employeebreakroom, and prominentlydisplayed in the visitor waitingarea.

The followingis alist ofpublic and private employment agencies that werenotified by letter regardingthe EEOPolicy:

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UlsterCountyPersonnel Department

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New York StateDepartment ofLabor

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KellyServices

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Manpower,Inc.

The followingis alist ofschools, colleges, and trainingorganizations in UlsterCounty that werenotified oftheEEOpolicyvialetter:

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SUNY/Ulster

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SUNY/NewPaltz

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BOCES

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Each Division Headwill be responsible forhis/herdivision's part ofthe EEOPolicy and will be evaluated ontheir contribution to EEO as part oftheirperformance appraisal.

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Non-supervisorystaff will beinformed ofthe EEOpolicyand program.

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As part ofthejob, employees are required to attend DiversityAwareness Trainingon an annual basis beginningOctober2009.

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Anyemployees whoareinvolved in organization and/or community groupswhich havespecial contacts with minorities and women's groupsareencouraged to report to the DirectorofPublic Transportation about the existenceofsuchgroups.  Information collected about thesegroups will bepassed on to other employeesat staffmeetings and employeenewsletters.

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The DirectorofPublic Transportation, in cooperation with the UlsterCounty Personnel Department, will conduct semi-annualmeetings with all managers and supervisors to provide anupdateon EEOimplementation progress and explain EEO- related rules and regulations and UCAT's responsibilities undertheselaws,as well as theirindividual responsibilities, as necessary.

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EEO-related posters areposted on all employeebulletin boards along with a copyof the EEOPolicyStatement.

The UlsterCountyExecutiveis recognized as thepoint of final authorityand responsibilityfor UCAT’s EEOPlan.The DirectorofPublic Transportation has immediate and continuingadministrativeresponsibilityand authority, which is delegated bythe UlsterCountyExecutive, in matters relatedto the UCAT’s total equal employment affirmativeaction obligations.Each UCATdivision head will be responsible within his/her respectivedivision for EEOprogram implementation and progress.

The DirectorofPublic Transportation will coordinate and administertheday-to-day operation ofthe EEOPlan.  All UCATmanagersand supervisors sharein the responsibilityof ensuring complianceis achieved through understanding, communicating,and activeinvolvement in thesupport ofthis policy.Performance evaluations ofmanagersand supervisors shall include evaluatingthesuccess ofthe EEO program in thesamemanner as performanceon othergoals. Theresponsibilities ofthe DirectorofPublic Transportation include, but arenot limited to, the following:

1.     

To maintain and amend the written EEOpolicystatement and EEOPlan.

2.     

Reportingsemi-annuallyto the UlsterCountyExecutiveon EEOissues andprogress.

3.     

Assuringthatcurrent legal information affectingaffirmativeaction is communicated to responsibleofficials (e.g. CountyAttorney, CountyPersonnel Officer).

4.     

Thedesign, implementation, and monitoringofaninternal EEO audit andreporting system.

5.     

Develop recruitingstrategies to increasethehiringofminorities, females,and the disabled.

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Act as aliaison betweenminority,females, and disabled within UCAT who encounter problems internal to, orthat interface with, UCAT.

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Prepareand submit EEO reports to theFTA and otheragencies, asrequired.

8.     

Closelycoordinate EEOtrainingprograms with the UlsterCountyPersonnel Department.

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Concurringon all hires and promotions and process all discrimination complaints.

UCAThas achieved several notable EEOsuccesses overthepast threeyears, which includethe following:

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In 2018,UCATemployed 61 employees.  Ofthisamount, 25 werefemaleand 19 wereofminority group status.Thestaffhasgrown to 66, wenowhave27females and 17 areminority group status.

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UCATdid meet itsgoal ofmaintainingthe29 to 81 age range.It is currently29 to

73.

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In theyears 2016-2018,UCAThired 18 employees.Ofthis amount, 4 werefemale, 4 wereofminority group status.

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As ofNovember2018, the ProfessionalandOffice&Clerical totals 7, 6 females and 1 male exceedingutilization rates inthosejobtitles and exceedingourgoalof40%of our workforceby35%.

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All UCAT employees attend aone-daymandatoryseminaron DiversityAwareness sponsored bythe UlsterCountyPersonnel Department. This trainingwill continue for all UCAT employees on an annual basis.

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UCAT exceeded itsgoalofmaintainingits minorityworkforceto 8%ofour workforce and is nowat 31%ofthe workforce.

UCAT’s Equal Employment Opportunity(EEO)program has been verysuccessfulin ensuring adiverseworkforce, however, morework is needed.  In 2018,UCAT employed atotal of25females, whichis approximately 41%of thetotal workforce.  Duringthe sameyear, UCAT employed 19 persons ofminority group status, which isapproximately 31% ofthetotal workforce.Unfortunately, UCATemployed zero personswith disabilities in 2018.Atotal of61 transit-related employeeswereemployed byUCATin 2018.

Year2010 Census dataindicates that theoverall percentageoffemalesage18 orolderin UlsterCountyis 73,613or40.3%ofthepopulation segment.Thetotal numberofmales age18 orolderis slightlyless at 72,064 or39.5%.  Incomparison, UCAT’sworkforce populationformalesandfemalesis 59%and 41%,respectively, whichisconsiderably lessbalancedthanthegeneralUlsterCountypopulation.  Whilewehaveincreasedthenumbers from 2018we still have a ways to go.  UCAT isactivelyrecruiting females to help increasethefemaleworkforce.

Goal 1:UCAT’s goal is to increasethenumber of employed females to 40%of thetotal workforcebyYear 2018.

Theminority group population percentage employed byUCATis significantlyhigher than thepercentageof UlsterCounty’s minority group population.Accordingto Year 2010 Census data, 15,909 or8.7%of UlsterCounty’s population was ofminority group status.Thetotal and minority group populations aged 18 oroverin UlsterCountyin 2010 were145,677and 10,570, respectively.Therefore, theminority grouppopulation aged 18 orover was 7.25%ofthetotal UlsterCountypopulation.  In 2018,UCAT’s total minorities employed totaled 19 or31%ofthetotalworkforce.Thenumberof UCAT’s minoritygroup personsemployed exceeded UlsterCounty’s proportional minority group population byapproximately24%.  UCAT’s abilityto recruit persons ofminority group status has been verysuccessful.