Human Resources 2020-2021 Impact Report

Black women are 1.5 times more likely than other women to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. —Dove Crown Research Study Black and white Americans sell and use drugs at similar rates, but Black Americans are 2.7 times as likely to be arrested for drug-related offenses.

—The Hamilton Project, the Brookings Institution

Striving for Racial Equity

We have changed the way we conduct pre-employment criminal background checks. We acknowledge that racial inequities in the United States’ criminal justice system limits the ability of Black people and other racial minorities to achieve full and fair employment opportunities. As a result, the department now: • Ignores non-violent drug convictions and positive test results for THC unless the applicant is trying to be hired into a safety-sensitive position, such as police officer. • Makes all decisions on whether to reject applicants because of their criminal backgrounds, avoiding inconsistent treatment between departments. • Never shares criminal background information with the hiring official or anyone in the hiring department. Following the City Council’s adoption of the Crown Act, the department adopted a personnel policy that protects all applicants and employees from hair discrimination. The City’s personnel policies now protects hair texture and Afro-centric hairstyles such as afros, bantu knots, braids, buns, puffs, coils, cornrows, finger coils, flex rods, frohawk, locks and twists. Fiscal year 2020-21 is the City’s first year recognizing the Juneteenth Celebration as a legal holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the actual abolishment of slavery, a landmark event in Civil Rights history. Given Greensboro’s connection to the Civil Rights movement, it was more than appropriate that the City establish the Juneteenth holiday.