Associate Civil Rights Analyst

County of Monterey; California (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Monterey’s Civil Rights Office seeks a professional to conduct workplace investigations, advise on equitable service, and enforce Federal and State civil rights laws. The role supports intake, interviews, evidence gathering, reporting, and policy implementation in a small, mission-driven team.

Candidates should have strong research, analytical, and communication skills, be adaptable to shifting priorities, and able to handle sensitive or political discussions with tact and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Equal Opportunity, HR, Public or Business Administration, Labor Relations, Political Science, Law or a related field.
• Two years of professional work experience performing research, analysis, and Civil Rights/EEO investigations.
• Strong written and oral communication and report-writing abilities.

Responsibilities

• Conducts preliminary intake interviews; ascertains sufficient information to determine if a prima facie discrimination violation exists; counsels complainants on rights and options.
• Receives and investigates formal discrimination complaints; interviews witnesses; analyzes information and writes findings.
• Prepares draft and final written reports of investigative findings for submission to officers and outside agencies.
• Provides advice and technical assistance to departments to ensure compliance with federal/state laws and policies.
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker.

Skills

Investigative procedures

Data analysis

Research methods

Office software

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Equal Opportunity, HR, Public or Business Administration, Labor Relations, Political Science, Law or related field

Tools

Office software

Job description

About the Civil Rights Office

The County of Monterey is a diverse community set in a picturesque coastal location and offers tourists and residents alike the comfort of a moderate, Mediterranean climate, miles of beautiful beaches, spectacular mountain ranges, groves of redwoods, low-rolling foothills, and scenic valleys. Boasting such world-renowned attractions as the spectacular Big Sur Coast, Laguna Seca Raceway, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, the Steinbeck Center, the Monterey Jazz and Blues Festivals and Pebble Beach – possibly the world’s most famous golf course, it’s easy to see why over 450,000 residents choose to live here and an estimated four million visitors a year make the County of Monterey their destination of choice.

The County of Monterey is committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans and eligible military spouses and awards veterans’ preference points for this recruitment. To learn more about the eligibility requirements and the process, be sure to read the Hiring Preference for Veterans and Eligible Military Spouses section located towards the end of this job flier.

The Civil Rights Office handles sensitive matters, ranging from conducting workplace investigations to advising on equitable and fair service for all County of Monterey residents. It is careful and deliberate work that can have a long-lasting impact. It requires thorough and fair discretion and consideration of process, policy, and law.

The Civil Rights Office is a small team with a wide scope. We make sure the County follows Federal and State civil rights laws and policies — as an employer and as a provider of public services. We investigate complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. We administer the County’s Nondiscrimination, Reasonable Accommodation, Language Access and Effective Communication, and Sexual Harassment Policies, and the Title VI Implementation Plan. We deliver the County’s mandated harassment prevention and civil rights training and continually develop a training suite. We advise departments on recruitment practices, help them manage conflict, and represent the office before commissions, community groups, and the Board of Supervisors.

In a single week, you might interview witnesses in a difficult investigation, rebuild a training module, advise a department head on a policy question, and stand in for the Civil Rights Officer at a public meeting. The role allows for autonomy as analysts assist in building and maintaining strategy and practice and requires organization.

The Civil Rights Office values the fact that the County is diverse and is made up of residents and employees who speak a variety of languages and come from different backgrounds. Spanish fluency is not required, but it is genuinely useful.

Who we are looking for

An ideal candidate is someone who can pick up potentially unfamiliar ground quickly and handle it collaboratively and responsibly. Laws and policies change, which requires ongoing learning and research so that the office is prepared to address questions it has never encountered before.

Additionally, priorities shift when a complaint comes in, a request from the Board of Supervisors is received, or a deadline changes, so being adaptable and able to shift priorities calmly and quickly is imperative.

Much of the work the office handles is sensitive and can sometimes lead to tense or uncomfortable discussions or situations. The ideal candidate needs to tactfully navigate these circumstances when individuals are angry or distressed.

One of our core duties is holding parties accountable for a violation of a policy. It is important that the ideal candidate can exercise good judgment, as much of the work involves making a call on how to resolve an issue or knowing when to bring it to the attention of others. This includes knowing when it is best to act or when it is better to ask for guidance. As a result, the office expects its team to work responsibly and thoroughly, prioritizing accountability for our workload and responsibilities to partners, and dedication to the office’s core mission and those we serve.

• Conducts preliminary intake interviews; ascertains sufficient information to determine if a prima facie discrimination violation exists; reviews informational material provided by complainants; counsels complainants on their rights, responsibilities, and options for resolving the alleged problem.
• Receives and investigates formal discrimination complaints; identifies and interviews critical witnesses; requests information relevant to the investigation from appropriate departments or agencies; analyzes witness comments, written statements, and other relevant information received regarding the investigation; writes technical reports and issues findings of fact, determinations, and recommendations in discrimination complaints.
• Prepares draft and final written reports of investigative findings for submission to Civil Rights Officer, County Counsel, and outside regulatory agencies.
• Provides advice, direction, and technical assistance to departments to ensure compliance with Federal and State laws and regulations, court decisions, legal consent decrees, and County Equal Employment Opportunity policies and the Civil Rights plan.
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker as required

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

Will have a proven track record demonstrating the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Working Knowledge of

• Federal, state, and local laws, regulations and ordinances related to Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Programs; and major court decisions directly impacting civil rights, EEO and contract compliance issues.
• The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Civil Rights Department, and their respective jurisdictions, processes, procedures and guidelines.
• Investigative procedures and protocols used in conducting confidential workplace investigations: identifying and interviewing critical witnesses; gathering evidence and documentation; conducting analysis; making final determinations and recommending appropriate remedial action.
• Research methods, data collection, and statistical analysis principles/practices/techniques.
• The use and operation of common office equipment and related software applications

Skill and Ability to

• Operate a personal computer to maintain data, prepare reports and enter and retrieve information and data.
• Understand, interpret and apply appropriate provisions of applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, memoranda of understanding, and operating procedures.
• Plan, organize and coordinate an assigned caseload, special projects and various work assignments, set priorities, and follow up on assignments with a minimum of direction.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to counsel employees about their rights and various County Civil Rights, EEO and non‑discrimination policies and procedures; to interview witnesses and respondents; to prepare reports, correspondence and other related documents or information; to present findings, recommendations and policies orally before public officials, employees, employee representatives and community groups in order to gain concurrence and cooperation through discussion and persuasion.
• Identify and recognize problems of a sensitive or political nature and take or recommend appropriate action; exercise judgment and initiative in facilitating discussions to resolve disputes; assist in negotiating mutually satisfactory agreements.
• Understand and recognize when to refer sensitive & or politically charged issues to leadership that are not within scope of own authority/responsibility.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with people from all socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds, County officials and management, employee representatives, employees, and members of the public.
• Protect the privacy of individuals and the confidentiality of Civil Rights/EEO records, documents, and correspondence.
• Use tact and discretion

Any combination of training, education and/or experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities and required conditions of employment is qualifying. An example of a way these requirements might be acquired is:

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Equal Opportunity, Human Resources, Public or Business Administration, Labor Relations, Political Science, Law or a related field.

Experience

Two years of progressively responsible professional work experience performing research, analysis, and completion of the technical components of Civil Rights/EEO investigations, which is comparable to the classification of Equal Opportunity Analyst with the County of Monterey.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The required conditions of employment include, but are not limited to the following:

• Possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver’s license or the ability to provide suitable transportation that is approved by the appointing authority.
• Be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and during times of disaster and/or emergency.

BENEFITS

The County of Monterey offers an excellent benefits package. Please visit our website to view the Unit X Benefit Summary Sheet. This information is not legally binding, nor does it serve as a contract. The benefits listed in the Monterey County Personnel Policies and Practices Resolution or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) prevail over this listing.

NOTES

• As a condition of employment, prospective employees may be required to submit to a background review which may include a review of information concerning present and/or prior employment, driving record, and record of any criminal convictions.
• Employment is contingent upon acceptable documentation verifying identity and authorization for employment in the U.S.; a list of acceptable documents is available on the USCIS Form I-9.
• If you are hired into this classification in a temporary position, your rate of pay will be hourly, and you will not be eligible for the benefits listed in the summary.

HIRING PREFERENCE FOR VETERANS AND ELIGIBLE MILITARY SPOUSES

The County of Monterey is committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans and eligible military spouses (i.e., surviving spouses of veterans, spouses of totally disabled veterans, and spouses of active‑service members) and awards veterans’ preference points for this recruitment. To obtain a Veterans and Eligible Military Spouse Preference Application, please visit the Human Resources website or click on the following link: Click Here to View the Veterans and Eligible Military Spouse Preference Application.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

Monterey County is a drug‑free workplace and an equal opportunity employer. The County seeks candidates who can make contributions in an environment of cultural and ethnic diversity. Monterey County is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Laura Carucci, Senior HR Analyst, at [phone], or [e-mail]