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z <br />recommendation of the Orange County. Human <br />Relations Commission. There is no provision in <br />Federal or State law as to discrimination based on <br />sexual orientation. <br />_ The Human Relations Commission had proposed the <br />use of the term "affectional preference." The <br />term "sexual orientation" has been recommended in <br />lieu of affectional preference because it is more <br />specific, it is the commonly used term in the <br />literature and a survey of employment policies of <br />area governmental employers indicates it is a <br />commonly used term in this area. Area employers <br />using this term in employment policies include The <br />University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Town <br />of Carrboro, City of Raleigh and City of Durham. <br />POLITICAL AFFILIATION <br />The addition of political affiliation to the Equal <br />Employment Opportunity section of the Personnel <br />Ordinance addresses an issue identified by the <br />Office of State Personnel. In its review of the <br />County's request for the "substantial equivalency" <br />exemption in the Equal Employment Opportunity/ <br />Affirmative Action section, State Personnel <br />advises that to qualify for substantial <br />equivalency the County, among other things, must <br />include political affiliation as one of the areas <br />in which the County pledges not to discriminate in <br />employment. <br />VETERAN STATUS <br />The purpose of adding veteran status to the policy <br />is to assure compliance with Section 402 of the <br />Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act <br />of 1974. This Act prohibits discrimination in <br />employment against qualified disabled veterans and <br />veterans of the Vietnam Era by.covered employers. <br />In addition to the above changes, new section 1.4 <br />has been added which protects employees and <br />applicants from retaliation for raising a charge <br />or participating in an investigation of employment <br />discrimination. This is in conformance with Title <br />VII of the Civil Rights Act. <br />RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends the Board adopt the <br />proposed revisions to the Equal Employment <br />Opportunity /Affirmative Action Policy section of <br />the Orange County Personnel Ordinance effective <br />October 1, 1991. <br />