1. Which state agencies are required to have an affirmative
action plan?
There are 21 state agencies required to submit affirmative action
plans to the Department of Administrative Services - State Personnel
Division for review and approval. These agencies are:
- Administrative Services
- Aeronautics
- Agriculture
- Banking & Finance
- Correctional Services
- Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
- Economic Development
- Environmental Quality
- State Fire Marshal
- Health & Human Services System
- Insurance
- Labor
- Military
- Motor Vehicles
- Natural Resources
- State Patrol
- Energy Office
- Revenue
- Roads
- Veterans Affairs
- Water Resources
2. What factor determines whether an agency is required to
have an affirmative action plan?
Those state agencies whose directors are appointed by the Governor
are required to submit a plan, as per State Statute 81-1356(5).
3. Where are affirmative action plans filed and does the
public have access to review the plans?
Each agency's plan is on file with the agency as well as with
DAS-State Personnel. The public may view these plans by contacting
the individual agency.
4. Who is responsible for monitoring the affirmative action
plans?
State Personnel monitors the progress of the Affirmative Action
program. Each agency is responsible for its own Affirmative Action
Plan and works with the Affirmative Action Administrator and the
Affirmative Action Committee to ensure the effectiveness of its
plan. The plans are formulated and executed based on guidelines
developed by the Affirmative Action Administrator.
5. Which state agencies have met their affirmative action
plan (requirements)?
All required agencies have submitted affirmative action plans for FY
1999-2000. They also submit quarterly progress reports on the
status of affirmative action goals and timetables, which have been
established by each individual agency.
6. Which state agencies have not met (requirements)?
None.
7. What are the consequences of not complying with the
affirmative action plan?
Agency affirmative action plans are planning documents. Should
the agency not meet their goals and timetables, there are no
reprisals. Goals and timetables are not quotas. If goals and
objectives are not met, they are reevaluated and efforts are made to
accomplish them in the next planned year.
8. What steps are in place in the event an agency fails to
meet its affirmative action plan?
In the event that an agency does not meet their goals and objectives,
the Affirmative Action Administrator meets with the agency Director to
discuss any deficiencies. If an agreement cannot be reached in an
informal meeting, the agency's noncompliance is reviewed by the
Affirmative Action Committee and, if resolution cannot be reached, it is
reported to me.
As I stated earlier, each agency is responsible for its own
affirmative action plan and these plans are submitted to DAS State
Personnel Division each year for approval. Subsequently, these
plans are followed with quarterly reports. This annual plan review
process, the quarterly updates, and Affirmative Action Committee review
combine to make the Nebraska Affirmative Action Program as successful as
possible.
9. What recruitment and outreach efforts have been made by
the state to recruit and retain minorities and women?
Nebraska has experienced difficulty in recruiting employees. A
major reason for this difficulty lies in the fact that we are
experiencing a period of low unemployment rates. Agencies, as part
of their outreach and in coordination with the DAS-State Personnel
Division, visit high schools and community colleges. They also
visit four-year colleges, universities, and other organizations with
large minority student populations (i.e. traditionally minority or
female colleges) for recruiting and hiring purposes.
