Executive Policy Manual

EP12 – Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Revision Approved January 25, 2024

1.0  Policy and Purpose

Washington State University (WSU or the University) is a public, land-grant, research institution committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, throughout every aspect of its statewide system. The University’s ultimate goals are to:

  • Pursue, retain, and reward exceptional faculty, staff, and scholars dedicated to creativity and bold thinking; and
  • Create an institutional culture in which all people are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of:
    • Where they come from;
    • What they believe; or
    • What their life experiences have been.

In compliance with state and federal law, WSU has made, and continues to make, every effort to eliminate barriers to equal opportunity in employment, education, membership, and contracts.

2.0  Requirements

WSU rejects discrimination and harassment on the basis of the following protected classes in its administration of its policies, programs, and activities:

  • Race;
  • Sex and/or gender;
  • Sexual orientation
  • Gender identity or expression;
  • Religion;
  • Age;
  • Color;
  • Creed;
  • National or ethnic origin;
  • Marital status;
  • Genetic information;
  • Status as a protected veteran, an honorably-discharged veteran, or a member of the military;
  • Physical, mental or sensory disability, including use of a trained service animal; or
  • Immigration or citizenship status, except as authorized by federal or state law, regulation, or government practice.

2.1   Grievances

WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR) maintains formal and informal grievance procedures for individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination and harassment, in accordance with Executive Policy Manual EP15.

Upon due process, WSU employees, students, volunteers, and affiliates found to have engaged in discrimination or harassment are subject to corrective action and/or discipline consistent with state and federal law and University policies for student and employee conduct.

2.2   Personnel Actions and Compensation

WSU recruits, hires, trains, promotes, and compensates persons in all job titles without regard to membership in a protected class. WSU:

  • Provides transparent compensation models;
  • Regularly conducts reviews for pay equity; and
  • Ensures that personnel actions are administered without regard to membership in a protected class. Personnel actions may include:
    • Progressive discipline;
    • Transfers;
    • Layoffs;
    • Returns from layoffs; and
    • University-sponsored training, educational, social, and recreational programs.

2.3   Equitable Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan (EORR Plan)

WSU undertakes an annual EORR Plan to ensure equal employment opportunity for women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans, in accordance with Executive Order 11246 and 41 CFR Chapter 60. (See also Section 4.0 )

WSU’s EORR Plan is designed to monitor the University’s employment policies and practices to avoid discrimination based on race or ethnicity, sex or gender, or protected veteran or disability status, in recruitment and employment decisions. The EORR Plan enables WSU to:

  • Draw diverse pools of qualified candidates for all employment openings;
  • Select the most qualified candidates for employment; and
  • Retain employees through programs and services that reflect WSU’s commitment to inclusion and belonging, mentorship, professional development, and social engagement.

3.0  Roles and Responsibilities

3.1   President of WSU

The President of WSU is responsible for ensuring that this Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy is administered effectively at the WSU Everett, Global, Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver Global campuses and in all WSU facilities, programs, and services.

3.2   Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR)

The President of WSU charged CCR with the responsibilities of:

  • Designing the University’s annual EORR Plan;
  • Addressing allegations of discrimination and harassment on the basis of membership in a protected class, through investigation and, where possible, voluntary and equitable resolution. (See EP15.)
  • Provides voluntarily-reported employee and applicant demographic information to appointing authorities, such as college and area leadership, upon completion of each year’s EORR Plan;
  • Tracks progress toward goal achievement in the EORR Plans that follow; and
  • Publishes information pertaining to WSU’s annual EORR Plans, including explanatory narratives, on the CCR Equal Employment Opportunity webpage.

3.3   Appointing Authorities

Appointing authorities are responsible for ensuring that their respective managers, supervisors, and units meet their EORR obligations by:

  • Assessing and adjusting their outreach to underrepresented communities; and
  • Delivering action-oriented programs designed to foster recruitment and retention of qualified employees.

3.4   Human Resource Services (HRS)

To ensure equitable compensation and advancement, the WSU system HRS is responsible for reviewing position duties and responsibilities to:

  • Determine appropriate classification and reclassification of civil service and administrative professional employees; and
  • Determine and adjust appropriate compensation plans for administrative professionals, based on objective metrics.

See Business Policies and Procedures Manual (BPPM) 60.02 and 60.12.

3.5   Academic Unit Leaders

Section III of the WSU Faculty Manual governs faculty advancement and salaries and requires academic unit leaders to review and adjust salaries for equity, professional development, merit, and market adjustments.

4.0  References and Resources

5.0  Responsible Office

Questions or concerns about this policy or concerns related to discrimination or harassment may be reported to the office of Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR):

  • In-person:  French Administration, Room 225, P.O. Box 641022, Pullman, Washington 99164
  • Telephone:  509-335-8288
  • E-mail:  ccr@wsu.edu
  • Website:  ccr.wsu.edu

Concerns related to sexual harassment can also be reported directly to the Title IX Coordinator in CCR; e-mail titleix.coordinator@wsu.edu.

Concerns related to disability discrimination and accessibility may be reported directly to the ADA Coordinator in CCR; e-mail ada.coordinator@wsu.edu.

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Revisions:  Jan. 2024 (Rev. 118); Feb. 2010 (Rev. 39); Dec. 2008 (Rev. 34); June 2007 (Rev. 27); Jan. 2002 – new policy (Rev. 7)