Fiscal Note
There is no fiscal impact with this work-sharing agreement.
Title
Authorizing the renewal of an ongoing work-sharing agreement with State of Wisconsin Equal Rights Division of the Department of Workforce Development for the City of Madison Equal Opportunities Division.
Body
WHEREAS, The City’s Equal Opportunities Division (MEOD) has had a work-sharing agreement in place with the State of Wisconsin Equal Rights Division (ERD) in since at least 1993; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the agreement is to set forth duties between the City’s MEOD and the State ERD for handling discrimination complaints when there is dual jurisdiction over the complaints. Under this agreement each party agrees to accept complaints written on the form of the other party; to streamline processing; to exchange information; and to give full faith and credit to the decision-making of the other party, consistent with applicable law; and
WHEREAS, it is the mutual policy of the State of Wisconsin and the City of Madison to eliminate discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on a variety of bases common to the state's anti-discrimination laws administered by the ERD/DWD and the local anti-discrimination laws administered by the MEOD; and
WHEREAS, the activities of the MEOD complement and augment the service and enforcement capabilities of the ERD/DWD in carrying out its duties to administer the various state anti-discrimination laws, and vice versa; and,
WHEREAS, the ERD/DWD and the MEOD mutually respect each other's work and this agreement better effectuates the purposes of the City and State to prevent and eliminate discrimination, promoting speedy and just processing of charges of discrimination, and efficiently and effectively using resources available to guarantee equal opportunities in the State of Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, the ERD has proposed to update and renew this agreement to continue this relationship;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Madison authorizes the continuation of this work-sharing agreement to apply to all cases where applicable, including, but not limited to; employment, housing, and public accommodations over which the MEOD and the ERD have concurrent jurisdiction; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Department of Civil Rights (DCR) Director or his/her designee is authorized to sign the 2016 renewal of the work sharing agreement with the State of Wisconsin Equal Rights Division of the Department of Workforce Development, for the purposes described above, and in a form approved by the City Attorney, for a perpetual term, until terminated by either party.