Professional Documents
Culture Documents
RICK SNYDER
GOVERNOR
STATE OF MICHIGAN
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
EXECUTIVE
MATTHEW WESAW
DIRECTOR
Sincerely,
Matthew J. Wesaw
Executive Director
The MDCR Office of Public Affairs & Administrative Services (OPAAS) was created in 2011 and
combines six critical ongoing functions into a single unit. Those functions include: Community Relations,
Contractor Review, Mediation, Communications, Financial Services and Technological Support.
Outreach and education is one of the key components of MDCRs work. To further these
efforts, the department has increased its involvement in a broad spectrum of partnership activities
with community based organizations, faith communities, youth groups, colleges and universities,
civil rights organizations and local, state and federal law enforcement to share work and provide civil
rights assistance.
Community Relations staff members (in partnership with other OPAAS staff) provide
training to citizens, businesses, community groups and non-profits in a variety of forums. Whether
through a negotiated settlement or via a direct request from a community, public or private
organization, MDCR provides important information concerning civil rights laws and practices.
MDCR also provides information and training to businesses so that they can prevent problems rather
than respond to them. For example, the department has an ongoing contract with Motor City Casino
in Detroit to provide training for employees to ensure that they are well-versed in serving a diverse
clientele. MDCR staff train an average of 4,000 people per year.
Community relations staff members are responsible for specific geographic regions of the
state as well as serving as liaisons to cultural communities throughout Michigan. As a part of these
assignments, staff members work to develop solid working relationships with community leaders
including law enforcement, education leaders, elected officials and others.
MDCRs Crisis Response Team works to ensure a constructive and effective response to
hate crime and other related incidents of tension, bias and violence in communities across Michigan.
MDCR utilizes its partnership and liaison relationships established through collaboration with law
enforcement agencies, community and faith-based institutions, business community representatives
and advocacy agencies to initiate proactive measures to help restore the civil rights health of the
community.
In addition, OPAAS staff members provide significant leadership for the majority of the
departments key initiatives, including:
Anti-Bullying initiatives,
The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act directs that state contracts contain a non-discrimination clause
(covenant) indicating that the contractor and any subcontractors do not discriminate against employees or
applicants for employment with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.
MDCR and the Department of Technology, Management and Budget have a Memorandum of Understanding
prohibiting the award of state contracts over $250,000.00 to companies who are in violation of the Act.
After a review of policies and procedures, the Contractor Review Unit issues Certificates of
Awardability to companies seeking to do business with the state to assure that they have demonstrated
compliance with the non-discrimination requirements of state and federal law. Contractor Review Unit staff
also evaluate applications of companies seeking certification as persons with disabilities enterprises.
OPAAS Financial Services and Technical Support are responsible for ensuring all department
employees have the technology resources they need to effectively serve our customers, coordinating all
aspects of the departments budget, including serving as liaison to the State Budget Office and legislative
Appropriations Committees during budget development and negotiation, coordinating audit activities,
overseeing the Internal Controls Evaluation process as well as the day-to-day management of the
departments finances.
Finally, OPAAS staff members provide technical support for the departments Contact Management
System (CMS), our Oracle-based data tracking system which is used to track all public contact with the
department, including complaint investigation, requests for training or other outreach services, crisis
response and information sharing.
MDCR is also home to the Michigan Womens Commission, the Hispanic/Latino Commission of
Michigan, the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, the Division on Deaf and Hard of
Hearing and the as yet unappointed Arab & Chaldean Council. For a more detailed look at the goals and
objectives of these commissions, see Section 404(1)(b).
Section 404(1)(b) a detailed description of all subunits with the department ...
Based on the structure of the budget provided for MDCR, the department is comprised of five
subunits: Unclassified employees, Civil Rights Operations, the Division on Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the
Hispanic Latino Commission and the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission.
(PLEASE NOTE: As of the time of the preparation of this report, book closing for Fiscal Year 2014 had not
occurred. All expenditures numbers should be considered draft until book closing occurs.)
Unclassified
In FY14, 6 FTE positions were assigned to this subunit with an appropriated budget of $707,000
General Fund/General Purpose (GF/GP). Currently, five of the six positions are filled. The existing vacancy
is expected to be filled by the end of calendar year 2014. In FY14, this subunit expended $570,300.
The FTE positions in this subunit include MDCRs Executive Director, who is selected by the Civil
Rights Commission, and the Executive Director of the Michigan Womens Commission who is appointed by
the Governor. The remaining FTE positions include the departments Deputy Director, legislative liaison
and staff who help coordinate a number of departmental initiatives, including Governor Snyders Global
Michigan Initiative as well as working with the departments ethnic commissions.
This subunit generated no revenue for the department in FY14.
The Division on Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing (DODDBHH) concentrates on helping
improve the lives of Michigan's one million Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing citizens. Their mission is
affirming the indisputable right of Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing Persons to secure effective
communication. It receives input from its 13-member Advisory Council appointed by the Governor and
provides the following services:
Technical Support including assisting deaf and hard of hearing persons with referrals to public or
private agencies and helping employers, educational institutions, service agencies, and businesses
make their programs and services accessible.
Information and Referral Services including responding to public inquiries about deafness,
providing Orientation to Deaf and Hard of Hearing trainings, maintaining a statewide list of services
for deaf and hard of hearing persons and other services.
Accommodations including consulting on communication barriers or access related to deaf and
hard of hearing persons, providing information and training on TTYs, signaling devices and assistive
listening devices, and maintaining a list of trainers for hearing/service dogs and assistive devices and
providers or dealers.
Interpreter Information and Services including administering the statewide Quality Assurance
Interpreter Screening Program as required by the Public Act No. 204 of 1982, consulting with the
appointing authorities on the need and use of qualified or certified interpreters and assisting state
agencies and the public in locating qualified oral and sign language interpreters.
This subunit generated no additional revenue for the department in FY14.
Advise the Governor, the Legislature, and the office, concerning the coordination and administration
of state programs serving Hispanics.
Make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature regarding changes in state programs,
statutes and policies.
Advise the Governor and Legislature on the nature, magnitude, and priorities of the problems of
Hispanics. Review and advise the Governor and Legislature on the States policies concerning
Hispanic affairs.
Review and approve grants from federal, state or private funds which are administered by the Office.
Secure appropriate recognition of Hispanic accomplishments and contributions to this State.
Review and approve the Annual Report by the Hispanic/Latino Commission.
Assist with planning and implementation of Hispanic/Latino heritage month celebrations.
Assist with planning and implementation of Hispanic/Latino holiday celebrations.
This subunit generated no revenue for the department in FY14.
7
Stimulate and encourage the study and review of the status of Asian Pacific Americans in this state.
Develop a unified policy and plan of action to serve the needs of Asian Pacific Americans in this
state.
Advise the governor, the legislature, and the office concerning the coordination and administration of
state programs serving Asian Pacific Americans.
Make recommendations to the governor and legislature regarding changes in state programs, statutes,
and policies.
Advise the governor and legislature of the nature, magnitude, and priorities of the problems of Asian
Pacific Americans in this state.
Review and advise the governor and the legislature on this states policies concerning Asian Pacific
American affairs.
Secure appropriate recognition of Asian Pacific American accomplishments and contributions to this
state.
Review and approve the annual report by the office of Asian Pacific American affairs.
Make recommendations to the governor and legislature regarding methods of overcoming
discrimination against Asian Pacific Americans in public and private employment and civil and
political rights.
Work to ensure equal access to all levels of education for Asian Pacific Americans.
Promote methods to ensure equal access to state services for Asian Pacific Americans.
Cooperate with and coordinate activities with the commission on Spanish-speaking affairs, the
Michigan womens commission, and any other commission that deals with minority or ethnic affairs.
Monitor, evaluate, investigate, advocate, and initiate programs for the betterment of Asian Pacific
Americans in this state.
Serve as a reporting agency for incidents of anti-Asian and anti-Pacific islander American
harassment in this state.
Promote public awareness of Asian and Pacific islander cultures.
This subunit generated no revenue for the department in FY14.
Law Enforcement
6%
Public
Accommodiation
17%
Employment
54%
Housing
19%
Section 404(1)(d) average cost of, and time expended, investigating complaints.
Investigating complaints of discrimination requires a team of well-trained and dedicated
professionals working together to ensure that the rights of everyone involved are protected and upheld. A
thorough investigation begins with the Intake Unit which receives the initial contact and determines
jurisdiction and timeliness. The investigator who is assigned the complaint relies on his or her manager, the
attorney assigned to the unit and their administrative support staff to help complete the investigation. The
Records Center staff uploads the information to our federal partners and ensures that records are maintained
in accordance with legal requirements.
In FY14, this team of enforcement and legal staff worked on a total of 3,527 complaints. This
included the 1,366 complaints that were open when the fiscal year began as well as the 2,161 which were
opened during the fiscal year.
In FY14, a total of $8,118,188 was expended on wages, benefits, technology, travel, rent, etc. to
support this team.
Therefore, in FY14, the average cost of a complaint investigation was $2,302.
MDCR also tracks the average number of days needed to complete an investigation with an over-all
goal of 180 days per investigation. The average for FY14 was 195 days. This marks the third fiscal year in a
row of reduced average. (Note this is measured in calendar days, not business days.) The chart below looks
at this measure on a monthly basis throughout the fiscal year.
210
200
190
180
170
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
10
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
**Note that just because an initial contact was made, and the complaint was determined to merit an investigation does
not mean an investigation was completed. The claimant may have chosen not to proceed, may have opted to file in
court or may have chosen to file exclusively with a federal agency. In other cases a settlement may have been reached
in which a responding party does not necessarily admit to the specific allegations, but does agree to take corrective
and/or remedial action.
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Amounts Awarded
Number of Complaints
Closed with Amount
$500,000
$400,000
$138,000
$137,000
$125,000
$106,144
$103,000
$100,000
$99,085
$95,758
$85,000
$82,969
$82,500
$70,000
$60,000
$57,631
$55,000
$54,750
$54,100
$53,000
$50,000
$40,548
$40,000
$39,000
$38,204
$37,100
$36,000
$39,000
$34,746
$34,450
$33,280
$30,690
$28,600
$26,281
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
12
$26,212
$25,651
$25,000
$24,440
$22,853
$22,500
$22,375
$21,696
$20,000
$19,760
$17,992
$17,500
$17,280
$17,000
$16,500
$16,180
$15,000
$14,987
$14,000
$13,800
$13,557
$13,520
$13,036
$13,000
$12,816
$12,000
$11,600
$11,200
$11,000
$10,539
$10,500
$10,480
$10,000
$9,854
$9,369.22
$9,200
$8,900
$8,700
$8,675
$8,500
$8,000
$7,600
$7,500
$7,114
$7,000
$6,946
$6,750
$6,500
$6,250
$6,000
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
4
1
1
1
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
7
1
1
1
1
6
13
$5,500
$5,464
$5,300
$5,000
$4,816
$4,500
$4,000
$3,700
$3,650
$3,634
$3,600
$3,587.12
$3,530
$3,508
$3,500
$3,420
$3,325
$3,178
$3,160
$3,040
$3,000
$2,857.26
$2,810
$2,500
$2,250
$2,200
$2,100
$2,090
$2,000
$1,671.60
$1,660
$1,600
$1,500
$1,400
$1,375
$1,280
$1,272
$1,250
$1,240
$1,220
$1,200
$1,196
$1,125
$1,007
$1,000
$965
$960
$930.16
$900
$875
3
1
1
21
1
3
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
11
1
1
8
1
1
1
1
17
1
1
2
4
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
2
1
22
1
1
1
2
1
14
$850
$838.47
$800
$750
$737
$640.42
$613
$598
$574
$559
$552
$500
$400
$385
$360
$350
$349.50
$319
$300
$286
$277.08
$258
$250
$246
$240
$237
$200
$197
$175
$150
$148.39
$140
$134
$128.08
$108
$100
$83
$78
$69.46
$64
$63
$50
$40
$34.98
$20
$9.31
1
1
5
4
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
18
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
15
16
Section 404(1)(h) a listing of complaint investigations closed per FTE for the
past 5 years.
TOTAL
COMPLAINTS
CLOSED
AVERAGE
AVERAGE
NUMBER OF
COMPLAINTS
INVESTIGATORS* CLOSED IN
YEAR
AVERAGE
COMPLAINTS
CLOSED BY
MONTH
FY10
2,611
40.1
65.1
5.4
FY11
2,259
35.5
63.6
5.3
FY12
2,655
35.3
75.2
6.3
FY13
2,183
31.8
68.7
5.7
FY14
2,120
31.5
67.3
5.6
*Average number of investigators determined by calculating the number of investigators with caseload expectations
each month. Caseload expectation can vary based on tenure, transfer of assignments or other considerations. In
addition, this calculation accounts for investigators impacted by long-term leaves, either planned or unplanned.
17