(1) The legislature recognizes that:

Terms Used In Washington Code 41.06.530

  • Agency: means an office, department, board, commission, or other separate unit or division, however designated, of the state government and all personnel thereof; it includes any unit of state government established by law, the executive officer or members of which are either elected or appointed, upon which the statutes confer powers and impose duties in connection with operations of either a governmental or proprietary nature. See Washington Code 41.06.020
  • boards: when used in RCW 41. See Washington Code 41.06.020
  • Department: means an agency of government that has as its governing officer a person, or combination of persons such as a commission, board, or council, by law empowered to operate the agency responsible either to (a) no other public officer or (b) the governor. See Washington Code 41.06.020
  • Institutions of higher education: means the University of Washington, Washington State University, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, The Evergreen State College, and the various state community colleges. See Washington Code 41.06.020
  • Related boards: means the state board for community and technical colleges; and such other boards, councils, and commissions related to higher education as may be established. See Washington Code 41.06.020
  • Training: means activities designed to develop job-related knowledge and skills of employees. See Washington Code 41.06.020
(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:
(a) The office of financial management shall, 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; and
(b) The department of enterprise services, 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 of enterprise services and the office of financial management shall coordinate implementation of this section with the institutions of higher education and related boards to reduce duplication of effort.

NOTES:

Effective datePurpose2011 1st sp.s. c 43: See notes following RCW 43.19.003.
Effective date1993 c 281: See note following RCW 41.06.022.