(1) The legislature recognizes that:

     (a) The labor market and the state government workforce are diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age, and the presence of disabilities.

     (b) The state's personnel resource and management practices must be responsive to the diverse nature of its workforce composition.

     (c) Managers in all agencies play a key role in the implementation of all critical personnel policies.

     It is therefore the policy of the state to create an organizational culture in state government that respects and values individual differences and encourages the productive potential of every employee.

     (2) To implement this policy, the department shall:

     (a) In consultation with agencies, employee organizations, employees, institutions of higher education, and related boards, review civil service rules and related policies to ensure that they support the state's policy of valuing and managing diversity in the workplace;

     (b) In consultation with agencies, employee organizations, and employees, institutions of higher education, and related boards, develop model policies, procedures, and technical information to be made available to such entities for the support of workplace diversity programs, including, but not limited to:

     (i) Voluntary mentorship programs;

     (ii) Alternative testing practices for persons of disability where deemed appropriate;

     (iii) Career counseling;

     (iv) Training opportunities, including management and employee awareness and skills training, English as a second language, and individual tutoring;

     (v) Recruitment strategies;

     (vi) Management performance appraisal techniques that focus on valuing and managing diversity in the workplace; and

     (vii) Alternative work arrangements;

     (c) In consultation with agencies, employee organizations, and employees, institutions of higher education, and related boards, develop training programs for all managers to enhance their ability to implement diversity policies and to provide a thorough grounding in all aspects of the state civil service law and merit system rules, and how the proper implementation and application thereof can facilitate and further the mission of the agency.

     (3) The department shall coordinate implementation of this section with the office of financial management and institutions of higher education and related boards to reduce duplication of effort.

[1993 c 281 § 12.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1993 c 281: See note following RCW 41.06.022.