Are Contra Costa County's Hiring Practices Fair?

Contra Costa County’s top administrator wants to dump a 38-year-old court order aimed at making sure white men don't get the majority of county jobs.

That was the case in 1973, when two women proved hiring discrimination on the part of the county in a successful class action lawsuit. Today, David Twa, the county’s top administrator says that the consent decree resulting from the lawsuit is no longer needed. Twa points to the fact that in 1975 women represented 15 percent of the county’s officials and administrators compared to 62 percent today. In 1975, minorities accounted for four percent of the people in the top jobs compared to 39 percent now [See tables below]. 

In a report to the Board of Supervisors, Twa also noted that the county pays a law firm in Oakland between $30,000 and $50,000 a year to monitor the county’s compliance with the consent decree. Price and Associates’ hourly rates range from $490 to $530, according to Twa.

Twa proposes replacing the consent decree with a Hiring Outreach Oversight Committee composed of two county supervisors who would monitor diveristy, and work with the county's human resources department. 

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will hear Twa's proposal at its meeting on Tuesday. 

What do you think? Should the county ask a judge to vacate the consent decree?

All Employees 1975 Overall Countywide Data for County Employees 2012 Overall Countywide Data for County Employees 2010 Overall Countywide Labor Force (Census Data) Male 65% 34% 53% Female 35% 66% 47% Caucasians 83% 49% 51% African-Americans 7% 17% 9% Hispanics 8% 17% 22% Asians 2% 16% 15% Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders Data unavailable 0.6% 0.5% American Indians/Alaskan Native Data unavailable 0.7% 0.3% Source: Contra Costa County Adminstrators: Department Heads, Division Chiefs, Directors, Assistant Directors, and Deputy Directors. 1975 County Employee Data for Officials and Administrators 2012 Overall Countywide Data for County Employees 2010 Overall Countywide Labor Force (Census Data) Males 85% 38% 58% Females 15% 62% 42% Caucasians 92% 61% 66% African-Americans 2% 13% 7% Hispanics 2% 11% 10% Asians Data unavailable 14% 14% Native Hawaiians/ Pacific Islanders Data unavailable 0% 0.5% Source: Contra Costa County