ADVOCACY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
DIVISION
The Commission embarked on a
one year fair housing project through a $45,000 grant from the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development. A full-time fair housing coordinator administered
the project which included conducting housing audits and tests, and providing
technical assistance, educational workshops and outreach activities to the
public and the real estate industry.
A new position of Contract Compliance
Manager was added to this division. This position is responsible for developing,
coordinating and implementing the State's contract compliance program as
directed in Executive Orders numbers 11 and 15.
"Affirmative Action in
State Government, 1982-1985" was published which reported state government's
affirmative action efforts in the workplace. This report also contains contract
compliance activities for FY 1985.
In October 1984, the Commission
along with Governor Terry Branstad appointed an Iowa Civil Rights 20th Anniversary
Planning Committee to plan and carry through a celebration to mark the Commission's
20th year in July 1985. A festival and a banquet was held on July 20, 1985,
to commemorate the Commission's 20th anniversary.
To provide various outreach
activities to the public continued to be the division's primary thrust for
the prevention of discrimination in Iowa. Chart 1 is a summary of the division's
outreach activities during FY 1985.
| FY 85 | FY 84 | |
| Inquiries | 1515 | 1187 |
| Consultations | 1492 | 1140 |
| Interventions | 23 | 47 |
| Materials Distributed | 10111 | 8783 |
| Public Education/People | 35/1075 | 50/1057 |
| Meetings and Projects | 133 | 132 |
Charts 2-5 are a summary of the inquiries received in FY 1985.
| Total Inquiries | Total | Private Employee | Citizen | Private Employer | Government Employer | Lawyer | *All Others |
| 1515 | 100% | 28% | 22% | 16% | 6% | 4% | 24% |
In Chart 2, the type of caller
is the person or group who made the inquiry for information and consultation
on civil rights laws, or seeking intervention.
| Total Inquiries | Total | Employment | Public Accom. | Combination | Housing | Non-601A | *All Others |
| 1490 | 100% | 71% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 4% | 3% |
Chart 3 illustrates the area of discrimination the caller made inquiry about. Non-601A area means the inquiry did not involve a situation protected under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Note that this chart only reflects 1490 of the 1515 inquiries received. No information is available on the remaining 25 inquiries.
| Total Inquiries | Total | Sex | Combination | Disability | Age | Race | Non-601A | *All Others |
| 1499 | 100% | 22% | 18% | 12% | 11% | 6% | 25% | 6% |
Chart 4 illustrates the basis of discrimination the caller made inquiry about, e.g., a female employee calling about pregnancy leave or an employer asking about age restrictions on hiring. Non-601A basis means the inquiry did not involve a basis protected under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Note that this chart only reflects 1499 of the 1515 inquiries received. No information is available on the remaining 16 inquiries.
| Total Inquiries | Total | Terms & Conditions | Termination | Pregnancy Leave | Pre-Employ. Inquiries | Unfair Treatment | Fail to Hire | *All Others |
| 1469 | 100% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 57% |
*All others: includes 26 other areas, e.g., accommodation, eviction, affirmative action, unequal wages, etc.
Chart 5 illustrates the nature of the problem or situation the caller made inquiry about. Note that this chart only reflects 1469 of the 1515 inquiries received. No information is available on the remaining 46 inquiries.