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Contact:

Soloman Walker, II

AA EEO Officer

AA EEO Office, AE 1059

Medical College of Georgia

Augusta, GA  30912

Office Phone: (706) 721-7782

sowalker@mcg.edu

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity
Orientation Information
>>> for New Employees, Faculty and Students...

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment (AA/EEO) Office Role

Protected Categories Under EEO and Affirmative Action

Complaint Process

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Office Role:

Develop the institution’s affirmative action plan
Identify problem areas
Help management develop strategies to eliminate problem areasDesign and implement monitoring and reporting methods that will:

• Measure effectiveness of the University’s EEO and AA programs
• Indicate any need for remedial action
• Determine the degree to which the University’s goals and objectives are begin attained
• Meet with various internal and external publics
• Conduct hearings and investigations into complaints of discrimination
   

Protected Categories Under EEO and Affirmative Action:

1. Race
2. Age
3. Religion
4. National Origin
5. Gender
6. Disability (ADA)
7. Vietnam Era Veterans
8. Sexual Harassment
   MCG has developed polices that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual preference. (see: EEO Policies)

Two very important protected categories that seem to be very hot topics now-a-days: Americans with Disabilities Act and Sexual Harassment. We probably get the majority of our cases in these two categories.

1. Compliance with Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
   Essentially all three sections prohibit discrimination against people who are disabled. The policies include all aspects of employment:
      Hiring
      Promotions
      Demotion
      Transfer
      Recruitment
      Advertising, etc.
   
   People with disabilities must be looked at based on their qualifications and ability to do the job.
   
   Accommodations must be requested by the employee and may be provided to employees with disabilities as long as they are reasonable and assist the employee in the performance of his/her duties.
    

2. Sexual Harassment
   MCG’s policy is that sexual harassment is “illegal” and we therefore, have a “zero tolerance” policy on sexual harassment. You could lose your job by violating this policy.
   
   What exactly does it mean to be sexually harassed?
   Under MCG policy it is defined as:
   - Unwelcome sexual advances
   - Requests for sexual favors
   - Other verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature
   - Making grades a condition of sexual favors
   
   What can you do about sexual harassment?
   Report incidents of sexual harassment or retaliation as follows:
   Faculty members – contact the Provost
   Students – contact the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs or the Director of Student Affairs
   Classified employees – contact the AA/EEO Officer

Complaint Process

If you have a compliant falling under the eight (8) protected categories contact the appropriate official in your area of employment.

ALL COMPLAINTS MUST BE FILED WITHIN 180 DAYS OF THE INCIDENT. OTHERWISE YOU MUST CONTACT THE PROVOST FOR A RULING.

Faculty members should contact the Provost. The Provost, in his discretion, will determine who will investigate the case. If it is the AA/EEO Office, the completed report will be sent to the Provost and he will determine if it will go forward.

Classified employees should notify the AA/EEO Office and we will handle the investigation, and recommend any appropriate action which results from the investigation.

Students should contact the Associate Vice President for Academic/Student Affairs.

At any point in the complaint process, “mediation” can be requested by either the charging party or the charged party. MCG encourages mediation, where appropriate, as a means of solving departmental problems. Contact L. D. Newman, should you wish to enter into mediation.

Do’s and Don’ts
Be sure to avoid these pitfalls when an employee files a complaint:

1. Using threats and intimidation to try to discourage an employee from filing a complaint. This is considered retaliation and could result in some action against you.
2. Denying the employee time needed to come to the AA/EEO Office to file a complaint.
3. Failing, as the manager or supervisor, to attempt to resolve the problem within the department and in a fair and equitable way.
4. Cutting off communication with the employee.
5. Allowing the “rumor mill” to take over.
6. Not being supportive of all of your employees’ right to file a complaint whether you agree with the merits of it or not.
7. Going back in time in an effort to construct employee evaluations you have not done prior to the complaint.
8. Not being objective in your thinking and not dealing with the facts only.

The AA/EEO Office is here to serve you.
When in doubt about an issue please call us before taking action and we may be able to save you some time and costly mistakes. Our telephone is 721-7782, and the office is staffed by:
    Solomon Walker, II, AA/EEO Officer
    Alisha Boston, AA/EEO Specialist

Copyright 2004
Medical College of Georgia
All rights reserved.

Faculty Orientation | Medical College of Georgia
Please email comments, suggestions or questions to
Annette Waters,

October 18, 2004