New Policies Required & Diversity Plan - Directive 20-02

Some of you may have already received a communication from OFM State HR, regarding the DEI Policies and Workforce Policy Directive. For those who haven’t, HR Directive 20-02 requires all agencies and institutions prepare a diversity plan and begin implementing by May 1, 2020. OFM is collaborating with diversity experts and agency HR leadership to develop tools to help us all be successful in meeting the directive.

Part of the required diversity plan will include creating or updating specific policies listed in the attached draft HR policy directive, 20-03. Completed and signed policies will be due to OFM State HR by October 1, 2020. The great news! OFM State HR is collaborating with many leaders and policy experts throughout the state to create model policies to assist us all as we work to meet these directives.

Important Dates:

• March 2, 2020: State HR wants feedback on the attached draft DEI policy directive. If you have any feedback, please submit it to scott.nicholson@ofm.wa.gov.
  • Final version is expected to be released in March. In the meantime, agencies can begin using the policies imbedded in the document. If your agency already has a policy in place for any of the required policies listed, you must review and update your existing policy in light of this directive and the model policy document cited above.
• May 1, 2020: Submit a copy of your completed or updated diversity plan to SHRPlanning@ofm.wa.gov
  • The outline of the plan can be located under HR Directive 20-02. There are 6 steps that must be identified. DES will help coordinate your data pull for step #3 as this is stored in HRMS. It is encouraged to have your employee’s complete an employee questionnaire (Employee Affirmative Action and Demographic Form) every year to keep your data up to date. Each agency’s diversity goals may differ based on the data.
  • OFM is developing a template that will provide a simple outline for agencies to describe the work they intend to do and that they are already doing, in line with the directive.
  • OFM is having a work session on Friday, February 28, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. in the RAAD building. This work session is focused on editing and improving the draft template. Please reach out to Robin Vazquez if you want to attend in person or via phone. The group will focus on the following questions:
    • Is there any reason we may want more than one template, based on agency needs or situations?
    • What level of detail is best?
    • How should the template be structured, if the goal is that it could be used as an outline to develop or flesh out a more comprehensive agency diversity plan in the future?
• October 1, 2020: Every agency must have policies in the following areas:
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Respectful work environment
  • Anti-discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment
  • Reasonable accommodation

In order to provide additional resources to agencies, if requested, the DEI policy committee will review and provide feedback and comments on an agency’s updated policies. If your agency is interested, please contact Scott Nicholson, Deputy Assistant Director for State Human Resources, at scott.nicholson@ofm.wa.gov.