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AGENCY TESTIMONY

EEPC's role and importance in the current climate of equal employment opportunity

1:31:28

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Jeanne Victor explains the EEPC's role in auditing and evaluating employment practices of city agencies, emphasizing its continued commitment to equal employment opportunity despite recent challenges to diversity initiatives.

The EEPC was created by city charter chapter 36 in 1989 to ensure fair employment opportunities for minority group members and women.
Victor highlights the current contraction of equal employment opportunity programs at federal and private industry levels.
She emphasizes that the EEPC will continue its work robustly, valuing diversity and fairness in the city's workforce.

Jeanne Victor

1:31:28

The EEPC was created by city charter chapter 36 in 1989 to audit and evaluate the employment practices, programs, policies, and procedures of city agencies and their efforts to ensure fair and effective equal employment opportunity for minority group members and women.

1:31:45

This year we have all seen the contraction and even vilification of equal employment opportunity programs, particularly as it relates to the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs both at the federal level and in private industry despite all of the evidence that shows a diverse workforce is beneficial to the bottom line.

1:32:03

In fact, the equal employment practices equal opportunity the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, excuse me, Washington DC currently has no quorum, and DEI initiatives have been erased from federal agencies and federal government programs.

1:32:18

But here in New York City and at the EEPC, we continue to value these programs and what they represent to the city's workforce.

1:32:26

As EEPC commissioner Nicole Yearwood noted during our January board meeting, equal employment practices ensure access and fairness, and that this came about because of the glaring absence of certain demographics, including gender, in the workplace.

1:32:41

This is not to take away from anyone in particular, but to ensure that others have the opportunity.

1:32:46

It is more about creating a system of fairness in a space that has a long history of unfairness and unequal access for different groups.

1:32:55

It's a leveling of the playing field and not a lowering of it as once noted by our vice chair, Elaine Rees.

1:33:02

I couldn't agree more speaking on behalf of of the entire EEPC board of commissioners And chair Aldrin Benia would have emphasized, had he been here today, that nothing has happened in the past couple of months that will alter the work of the EEPC.

1:33:20

We will continue to do our work, and if anything, we will do our work even more robustly than before.

1:33:26

So I would like to start by thanking you and the committee for your past and continued support.

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