Fresno County is getting rid of all diversity, equity and inclusion language in job descriptions to comply with federal law and ensure the county hires employees based on ability.
Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld held a press conference on Friday to announce the changes.
Driving the news: Some job applications the county has posted have included DEI language. Bredefeld said most of those applications came from the Behavioral Health and Social Services departments.
- One example is a job posting from December for an unlicensed mental health clinician under the Department of Behavioral Health.
- Part of the job application says Fresno County is committed to equity, diversity and affirming care to provide culturally responsive services.
- “It is imperative for us to protect and improve the lives of Fresno County residents served by the Department and our partners in our system of care by acknowledging the long-standing historic and ongoing inequities that black, indigenous and people of color, those living in poverty, LGBTQ+ members and other marginalized and underserved communities have experienced with the behavioral health system,” the application reads.
- The job pays up to $97,552 annually.
State of play: Bredefeld said the county’s human resources team has already started removing DEI language from all job applications and should have the audit complete in a matter of weeks.
- Bredefeld pointed to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, region, sex or national origin.
What he’s saying: “Hiring should be rooted in skills, experience and qualification, not in divisive narratives or radical political ideology,” Bredefeld said. “I’m working to eliminate all politically driven language from Fresno County government job applications and ensuring that every candidate is evaluated solely on their ability to do that job.”
- Bredefeld said DEI language in job announcements falsely portrays Fresno County as a place where people who are hired are not the most qualified, which undermines the work of the county’s employees.
- “Instead of fostering unity, DEI programs encourage grievance based policies and frame individuals as perpetual victims, rather than empowering them through fairness and equal treatment under the law,” Bredefeld said.
