County Equity Oversight Panel

The Los Angeles County Policy of Equity reflects and builds upon our MISSION, VISION, and VALUES, which each employee is responsible for demonstrating in both actions and words.

The values of INTEGRITY AND RESPECT lie at the heart of our Policy of Equity. All employees are required to conduct themselves in accordance with the Policy and all applicable local, county, state, and federal laws.

The purpose of this Policy is intended to preserve the dignity, respect, and professionalism of the workplace as well as to protect the right of employees to be free from discrimination, sexual harassment, unlawful harassment (other than sexual), retaliation and inappropriate conduct toward others based on a protected status. Retaliation, as well as discrimination, sexual harassment, unlawful harassment (other than sexual), and inappropriate conduct toward others based on a protected status, are contrary to the values of the County.

The County will not tolerate unlawful discrimination on the basis of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices); denial of family and medical care leave; disability (including mental and physical disability); marital status; medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics); genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin (including language use restrictions); race; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding); gender; gender identity; gender expression; sexual orientation; and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Further, the County will not tolerate retaliation for filing a complaint under the Policy or similar state or federal law, for participating in an administrative investigation or proceeding under the Policy, for performing duties under the Policy, or for otherwise opposing conduct prohibited by the Policy.

As a preventive measure, the County also will not tolerate inappropriate conduct toward others based on a protected status even if the conduct does not meet the legal definition of discrimination or unlawful harassment. All County employees are responsible for conducting themselves in accordance with this Policy and its associated Procedures. Violation of the Policy and/or Procedures will lead to prompt and appropriate administrative action including, but not limited to, counseling, training, written warning, written reprimand, suspension, demotion, or discharge.

Supervisors, co-workers, and third-parties are prohibited from engaging in unlawful behavior under the Fair Employment and Housing Act.