(T)here have been injustices, and . . . (t)he committee, as well as myself . . . want to equalize the situation."
-- Executive Director Hall
Homemakers First Agency to Accept Affirmative Action
Barnstable Patriot, February 09, 1978
http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/sturgis/sharedview.article.aspx?href=BAR%2F1978%2F02%2F09&id=Ar00109&sk=FD25CD73&viewMode=text
Cape Cod Homemaker- Home Health Aide Service has become the first agency in the county to accept a formal affirmative- action program for hiring minorities.
The program was unanimously agreed to by the CCH-HHAS. Inc., board of directors last Thursday.
"We feel this action reflects the 'climate of the limes'-- and are very proud to be the first agency in the county to have this formal negotiated plan," said board member
Polly (Mrs. James J.) Taylor
of Centerville. a former president of the Homemakers-Honie Health Aides.
The program embraces both an equal-employment- opportunity policy and an affirmativeaction plan, it was to be signed by Joseph D. DaLuz,
president, for
Cape Cod Branch,
National Association tor the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
and by
Emerson F. Mosely,
chairman of its
labor and industry committee.
For the Homemaker- Home Health Aide Service,
President Larry G. Newman,
Vice- President Diane Klingenstcin and
Secretary Agnes Carson
for the board of directors, and
Harriet Hall,
the agency's executive director,
will sign the landmark agreement.
The agency serves all of Barnstable County, and in 1977 handled 485 cases representing 908 persons, 74 percent of whom were 60 years of age or older.
The 14-year-old organization is a member of
Cape Cod United Fund.
Its 120 homemaker- home health aides provide personal care in the home for those unable to do it themselves.
"I think accepting the AA program was more than meeting the letter of the law; it was a matter of spirit and pride. The committee working on the AA policy, as well as myself, believe there have been injustices, and want to take some responsibility to equalize the situation." said Executive Director Hall.
In ils policy declaration, the Homemaker - HHA Service declared unequivocally that "nondiscrimination in employment, the delivery of services and benefits on the basis described in Title Six and Seven of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and subsequent equalemployment- opportunity amendments, and appropriate
state laws and regulations, is the policy" of the organization.
"Employment prerequisites are identical for all professional and non-professional applicants," the agency's new policy says. "Quail-Bed applicants are considered without regard to race, color, national origin, sex. handicap or age.
"Minority employees will be given equal consideration for promotion based on the same standards and qualifications used lor other employees." it adds, and "only non-discriminatory considerations shall be used in decisions concerning training, transfer, demotion and terminalion."
Unions, vendors and contractors will be notified, and Homemaker- Home Health Aides will tell them it requires similar actions.
Under the affirmative- action plan,
Executive Director Hall
will be the affirmative- action officer.
The plan covers recruitment and advertising, instruction in the policy, use evaluation, investigation and resolution of complaints,
training and promotion, plus records and reports.
"When there is an obvious under- utilization of minorities, the agency will make every good-faith effort to correct this condition by actively seeking minority employees," il adds.
Records will be maintained on the number of minority, female and non-minority group members in each work class; efforts and developments made to locate, hire, train, qualify and upgrade minorities and females, and efforts and developments in securing minority contractors and suppliers.
The agency agreed to refuse to deal with organizations barred from programs assisted or funded by the slate or federal government.
County commissioners and town of Barnstable selectmen have also within the last year or so . . .
(Continued On Page 4)
(From Pafe 1)
. . . negotiated affirmative-action programs with the Cape Cod Branch, NAACP.
"Discrimination in employment on the grounds of race, color, national origin,
sex, handicap or age with consequent arbitrary denial of job opportunities substantially and adversely affects the general welfare of the community," the Homemaker policy statement says. "Job discrimination tends to
'unjustly condemn' certain segments of our society, thereby causing
'grave injury' to the general welfare."
Members of the Homemaker-Home Health Aide Service committee that put the program together were
board members
Moseley, who was chairman
the Rev. Wendall Luke,
Louis J. Jacobucci,
President Newman,
employee
Esther Pope,
Mary (Mrs. Gilbert ) Phillips
and
Dolores DaLuz,
with
Ms. Hall
as ad hoc member.
The agreement was to have been signed yesterday, but the storm has delayed the signing until next month, although the program is already in effect.