On November 10, 2020, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors authorized the development of an Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ) that would be informed by and launched after a community engagement process. (D. 4) The goal of the ORESJ is to enact and sustain principles, policies, practices, and investments that are racially just and equitable across the County. Contra Costa County is the first jurisdiction to develop and launch an office through a community engagement process. The resources for the community engagement process were procured through local philanthropic partners, not County dollars. This intentional strategy was used to get a fuller picture of what resources are needed for the ORESJ.   
  
In February 2021, a Host Table composed of community residents, members of the Board of Supervisors, and systems partners came together to develop a community listening campaign to inform the priorities and structure of the ORESJ. This group, later called the Core Committee, was assigned three tasks. The first task was to develop the final structure, roles, and responsibilities of the office. On October 25, 2022, the Core Committee recommended to the Board of Supervisors that for the first year of its operations, the ORESJ should first hire two Co-Directors. (D. 1) One Co-Director would focus on coordinating and expanding the equity work of County Departments and one Co-Director would focus on working more directly with the community.  
  
These two positions will be established as exempt and excluded from the Merit System by ordinance. The two Co-Directors will then lead the formation of the Office and the hiring of the additional staff. Most County employees are in job classifications that are in the Merit System. Employees in these classifications are covered by the provisions of the Personnel Management Regulations (PMRs). The PMRs govern a variety of Human Resource activities including recruitment and selection procedures, appointments, separations, certification to departments for employment, and other personnel transactions such as transfers, demotions and leaves of absence. Positions established within exempt classifications by ordinance are excluded from the Merit System; these include elected positions as well as other specific classifications.  
  
Since February 2023, the Board's Equity Committee has met on a monthly basis to discuss the development of the Co-Director positions for the ORESJ with County Human Resources representatives and representatives of the Core Committee, who established a hiring subcommittee for this purpose. At its May 15, 2023 meeting, the Equity Committee reviewed and considered the job descriptions for the Co-Director positions, the recruiting strategy and work plan for these positions, and the compensation study that informed the salary recommendation. (See attachments.)  
  
  
Attachments:  
  
Attachment A: Co-Director, Race Equity & Community Empowerment  
Attachment B: Co-Director, Race Equity & Inter-Agency Engagement  
Attachment C: ORESJ Recruiting Strategy and Work Plan  
Attachment D: Compensation Study Recommendation  
P300 26152  
  
  

If this action is not approved, the classifications of Co-Director, Race Equity and Community Empowerment-Exempt, and Co-Director, Race Equity and Inter-Agency Engagement-Exempt that are proposed will not be created to lead the formation of the Office and the hiring of additional staff in the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ). This will prevent the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice from being created as approved by the Board of Supervisors in October 2022.