Ask the Experts: Placement Goals
Question: I consistently have female and/or minority placement goals for my entry-level positions. These positions are almost exclusively filled through a temporary agency. How can I get the temporary agency to send me a more diverse candidate pool?
Answer: You have to be careful how you request a more diverse candidate pool, since equal opportunity employment laws prevent you and the agency from discriminating based on race and/or gender. While you cannot ask for candidates that meet a certain demographic, you can and should make sure the agency’s recruitment practices are supporting your affirmative action efforts.
Many affirmative action employers who utilize the services of temporary agencies to fill vacancies are under the assumption that their vendors are supplying candidates from a wide-range of recruiting sources. However, this may not be the case. The OFCCP has indicated that regardless of whether a temporary agency is being used, the onus still rests with the contractor to ensure that their job openings are visible to a diverse group of potential applicants, and that their open positions are being posted in accordance with affirmative action regulations. At the end of the day, the responsibility will be yours to prove that you have made every effort to attract diversity to your organization.
So what steps should you take? While it may not be possible for the agencies you work with to advertise your openings on every diversity site, one solution is to identify some local community organizations or special-interest groups serving the needs of females and/or minorities and take advantage of their job boards, which are often low- or no-cost. Encourage your staffing agencies to use a few of the sources you identify, and request that they provide you with disposition information on any applicant they forward. By doing so, you will be able to tell whether your recruiting efforts are bearing fruit. In addition, ask your vendors to provide you with a list of the sources they currently use to determine whether more effective options exist. At the very least, the agency should be posting your positions with the State Job Service, so you are compliant with the affirmative action regulations for veterans. Even though placement goals are not a requirement for veterans or people with disabilities, affirmative action employers should seek out services to attract qualified candidates. If you are in a contractual relationship with the agency, consider writing your expectations into the next contract.
If you have any questions, please contact HR Works at (585) 381-8340.
