Church attains EEO goals for women, racial/ethnic employees, GAC says
By Craig M. Kibler, Staff Writer,The Layman Online, April 25, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The General Assembly Council will report to the upcoming General Assembly that it has achieved its equal employment opportunity goals for women and mostly achieved them for racial/ethnic employees.
In an informational item (08-Info) not discussed during the General Assembly Council meeting April 23-25 at the Brown Hotel, the GAC discusses how it has been operating under the “Churchwide Plan for Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity” approved by the General Assembly in 1985. It also states how it has established for the church EEO goals of 40 percent women and 20 percent racial/ethnic employees.
“Out of the various ‘calls’ to mission, justice, equality, affirmation, love, hope and charity,” the informational document states, “the partnership of congregations and governing bodies works to achieve the goals of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action.”
The informational document states that entities of the General Assembly are reported both separately and jointly in the following categories:
- General Assembly Council (PCUSA).
- Office of the General Assembly (OGA).
- Presbyterian Church (USA) Board of Pensions (BOP).
- Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation (FDN).
- Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC).
- Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program, Inc. (PILP).
- Synods.
- Presbyteries
- Theological institutions.
- Conference centers.
- Jarvie Commonweal Service.
- Hubbard Press.
In a detailed analysis, the GAC states that “all reporting entities met the 40-percent goal for women.”
As for meeting the 20 percent goal of racial ethic persons, the analysis shows that the GAC, the Office of the General Assembly, the conference centers, the Board of Pensions, the Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation, the theological institutions and Jarvie Commonweal Service met the goals.
Churchwide totals, according to the informational documents, met the 40-percent goal for women and the 20 percent goals for racial/ethnic people.
Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications and Executive Editor of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.