MTA Policy

Equal Employment Opportunity

February 2009

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”) is committed to equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, veteran’s or marital status or arrest/conviction records. This Policy applies to all personnel actions, including but not limited to promotion, demotion, transfer, recruitment, layoff or other discharge, recall, rates of pay, benefits, and selection for training. Further, the MTA expressly prohibits any form of unlawful harassment based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, veteran’s or marital status or arrest/conviction records. Such unlawful interference with the ability of the MTA’s employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.

The MTA is fully committed to complying with all applicable laws for establishing and implementing a program providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. The MTA has developed an equal employment opportunity program, setting goals with timetables to provide minorities and women equal opportunities in its workforce. All managers and supervisors are responsible for implementing this program. This responsibility is measured in the same manner as their performance toward other business objectives. The successful achievement of this program will provide benefits to MTA through fuller utilization and development of minorities and women employees.

All employees and applicants for employment shall be protected from coercion, intimidation, retaliation, interference, harassment or discrimination for filing a complaint or participating in an investigation of a complaint. Reprisal against or interference with an employee’s or applicant’s right to file a complaint concerning such matters constitutes a violation of this Policy.

Michael J. Garner, Chief Diversity Officer, is responsible for coordinating the MTA’s equal employment opportunity program. If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, harassment or retaliation on the basis of any of the protected classifications listed above and you wish to file a complaint, you should contact either your supervisor, his or her supervisor, or Mr. Garner at 2 Broadway, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Mr. Garner can be reached by telephone at (646) 252-1385. In addition, an employee or an applicant for employment may contact the MTA Office of Civil Rights, Division of Equal Employment Opportunity toll free at 1-800-466-8577. The MTA Office of Civil Rights will promptly initiate a thorough and impartial inquiry. If, for any reason, you do not wish to bring your complaint to a supervisor or to Mr. Garner, then you should report the matter to Myrna Ramon, Chief of Staff, who will promptly initiate a thorough and impartial inquiry. Ms. Ramon with my approval, may delegate the inquiry to another person. In all cases, confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigation to the extent practical and consistent with the MTA’s obligation to undertake a full inquiry and to make a determination. In addition, all employees are required to fully cooperate during the conduct of such an investigation.

If it is determined that a violation of this Policy has occurred, the MTA will take immediate action to remedy the situation. Any employee who is found to have violated this Policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from employment. Such an employee may also be subject to personal legal and financial liability.

In addition to the complaint procedures described above, complaints may be filed with the New York State Division of Human Rights or the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

This Policy is to be posted in prominent locations throughout the MTA’s facilities.

Elliot G. Sander
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer