EEO/Diversity Initiatives

March 2013

To All Employees/Applicants,

As the Executive Director/CEO of Metra, I hold topmost responsibility for the leadership of Metra’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program. Metra is committed to Equal Employment for all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, etc. EEO policies are applicable to all employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotions, terminations, transfers, layoffs, compensation, training, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment. These policies are in place to make sure that employment-related decisions are equitable and just.

Metra is also committed to undertaking an affirmative action program that includes goals and timetables, in order to overcome the effects of past discrimination on minorities and women. Successful achievement of EEO goals provides benefits to Metra through fuller utilization and development of previously underutilized human resources.

As an applicant/employee, you have the right to a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment (including sexual harassment). You also have the right to file a complaint alleging discrimination with the EEO Officer, Countess P. Cary, Sr. Director, EEO/Diversity Initiatives. Retaliation, in any form, will not be tolerated. I am committed to ensuring that your rights are protected.

I have entrusted the responsibility for implementation and daily administration of the EEO Program to the Sr. Director, EEO/Diversity Initiatives. All Metra management personnel however, share responsibility for carrying out this program, and have specific tasks to assure compliance is achieved. The EEO/Diversity Initiatives department monitors and reports progress towards the Program objectives. Each Chief Officer/Senior Director/Director, etc., must adhere to Metra’s EEO policies in all relationships with employees and their performance in that regard shall be monitored to ensure the programs success.

Metra’s EEO policies are available on Metra’s intranet or on the internet at http://www.metrarail.com. Questions regarding Metra’s EEO program should be directed to the EEO/Diversity Initiatives department at 312-322-7099.

Alexander D. Clifford
Executive Director/CEO

To view the signed copy of this letter, please click here.

SUMMARY OF EEO POLICIES

Affirmative Action Policy
Affirmative action is comprised of the measures taken to prevent unlawful employment discrimination and to remedy the effects of past discrimination. At Metra, these measures include, but are not limited to, efforts to recruit, hire, employ, train, and promote non-whites, women, and individuals with handicaps/disabilities.

Executive Order 11246 and Federal Transit Administration Circular 4704.1 require Metra to establish an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Plan with an Affirmative Action component. Metra’s EEO Plan, on file in the EEO/Diversity Initiatives department, requires that employment-related decisions be consistent and non-discriminatory. The plan expresses Metra’s commitment to recruit, hire, promote, train, and retain qualified non-whites, women, and individuals with handicaps/disabilities, and to affirmatively address any imbalances between these categories in our current workforce.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Metra is an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified employees and job applicants, will be granted equal access to job opportunities and equal terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran’s status, armed forces reserve or national guard status, or physical or mental disability.

Anti-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment Policy
As an equal opportunity employer, Metra provides for the rights of all applicants/employees to be offered job opportunities without discrimination due to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran’s status, armed forces reserve, national guard status, or physical or mental disability. Retaliation against employees who make bona fide discrimination/harassment complaints is prohibited.

Anti-Retaliation Policy
All employees and applicants for employment shall be protected from coercion, intimidation, retaliation, interference, harassment or discrimination for filing a complaint or for participating in an investigation of a complaint. Reprisal against, or interference with, an employee’s or applicant’s right to file a complaint concerning harassment, discrimination or retaliation constitutes a violation of this policy and will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to discipline up to and including discharge.

Sexual Harassment Policy
Metra strictly prohibits any form of sexual harassment. In addition, inappropriate sexual conduct will not be tolerated.

Disability Policy
It is the policy of Metra to provide equal employment opportunity to persons with disabilities in all aspects of employer/employee relations. This includes all employment related decisions including, but not limited to, hiring, compensation, benefits, terms and conditions of employment, opportunities for promotions, training, and other privileges of employment.

Metra will take affirmative action to employ disabled individuals by making notices of job vacancies available to agencies and organizations that are directly involved in the placement of disabled persons through mailing, telephone contacts, site visits, etc. Job requirements and descriptions shall be reviewed to ensure that unnecessary or discriminatory job standards are eliminated.

Further, Metra will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with physical and mental disabilities so that they may be able to perform the essential functions of their jobs, unless it will cause undue hardship to the corporation to do so. The Reasonable Accommodation Committee has been established to review all accommodation requests.

In addition, it is the policy of Metra to include all applicant/employees, without regard to physical or mental disability, in the participation and receipt of benefits from the services, programs and activities of Metra as a public entity, and in particular, as a provider of public transportation. It is also the policy of Metra to comply with the letter and spirit of all local, state and federal statutes and regulations concerning discrimination against disabled persons. Any applicant may request an accommodation, at any stage of the application/interview process, by contacting Countess P. Cary, Chairperson, Metra/Reasonable Accommodation Committee (RAC) at 547 W. Jackson Blvd., 12th Floor East, Chicago, Illinois 60661, (312) 322-7099.

Complaint Procedure
Any applicant/employee who believes he/she has been harassed (including sexual harassment), discriminated against or retaliated against in violation of any of Metra’s policies as stated above should immediately contact the EEO/Diversity Initiatives department.

The EEO Internal Complaint Resolution Procedure (incorporated by reference) will be followed when an employee or applicant for employment believes his/her issue(s) cannot be resolved through mediation or counseling.

Discrimination is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA), the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, and the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Metra Applicants/Employees
For Metra applicants/employees interested in filing an EEO complaint or obtaining information for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please find EEO informational brochures and complaint forms listed below. These forms are available for on-line viewing or they can be printed by clicking on the brochure or form.

The brochures and forms can be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 3.0 or higher which is already installed on all Metra computers. These forms are also available in Metra’s EEO/Diversity Initiatives Department located on the 12th floor at 547 W. Jackson, Chicago, IL 60661, through the employee’s supervisor, or at the main office in each of Metra’s major districts.

Forms can be submitted by mail at the address listed above, or faxed to (312) 322-4273. If assistance is needed in completing the forms, feel free to contact the EEO office at (3312) 322-7099.