Sioux City Human Rights Commission
Encyclopedia
Sioux City Human Rights Commission is an impartial governmental agency that primarily investigates allegations of discrimination
. Other duties include community education and hosting events that promote diversity and the elimination of discrimination. Its tagline is "To Ensure a Fair and Equitable Community for All."
VISTA
Volunteers.
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission currently has more volunteers than paid staff. Ralph Rosenberg, Executive Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, has referred to the VISTA Project as "a short-term fix for tough budget times." In early 2010, even this program was in danger due to increasing budget cuts. In accordance with the cost-sharing component of the AmeriCorps VISTA project, if the Sioux City Human Rights Commission's budget was not increased, the agency would have lost all of its AmeriCorps VISTA members. Eventually the City Council voted 3-2 in favor of adding $20,592 to pay the annual stipend for two AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers.
. The areas in which complaints can be filed are employment
, public accommodations, housing
, education, and credit.
All discriminatory incidents must be categorized as one of Iowa's twelve protected class
es:
. Although after a complaint has been properly filed for 60 days the Sioux City Human Rights Commission may grant a “right to sue” letter and the person alleging discrimination may begin a lawsuit. In this event, the case will be closed.
When the investigation is completed, commissioners will determine if there is reason to believe that discrimination happened with either a “probable cause” or “no probable cause” finding. If it is “probable cause”, the next step is mandatory conciliation
. If an agreement is reached, the case will be closed. If not, commissioners decide to either close the case or go to public hearing
. If it is “no probable cause”, the investigation is then closed. The person who alleged discrimination then has the option of suing the other party at his/her own expense.
There are currently five annual events they put on:
In addition, the agency hosts forums throughout the year focusing on issues such as immigration
, disabilities, and fair housing
. Many are broadcasted live on a Public-access television
cable TV channel.
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
. Other duties include community education and hosting events that promote diversity and the elimination of discrimination. Its tagline is "To Ensure a Fair and Equitable Community for All."
Background
The Sioux City Human Rights Commission is a branch of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The Iowa Civil Rights Act requires every city with a population of over 29,000 to have an independent commission in order to further its goals. The Commission is represented by eleven citizen Commissioners appointed by the City Council. The Sioux City Human Rights Commission currently has two full-time staff, one part-time secretary and four AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a U.S. federal government program that was created under President Bill Clinton by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and later expanded by 50 percent under President George W. Bush...
VISTA
Volunteers in Service to America
VISTA or Volunteers in Service to America is an anti-poverty program created by Lyndon Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as the domestic version of the Peace Corps. Initially, the program increased employment opportunities for conscientious people who felt they could contribute tangibly to...
Volunteers.
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission currently has more volunteers than paid staff. Ralph Rosenberg, Executive Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, has referred to the VISTA Project as "a short-term fix for tough budget times." In early 2010, even this program was in danger due to increasing budget cuts. In accordance with the cost-sharing component of the AmeriCorps VISTA project, if the Sioux City Human Rights Commission's budget was not increased, the agency would have lost all of its AmeriCorps VISTA members. Eventually the City Council voted 3-2 in favor of adding $20,592 to pay the annual stipend for two AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers.
Jurisdiction
The Sioux City Human Rights Commission can only investigate incidents of alleged discrimination that have occurred within the last 300 days. The incident must have also taken place within Sioux CitySioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
. The areas in which complaints can be filed are employment
Employment discrimination
Employment discrimination is discrimination in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, and compensation. It includes various types of harassment....
, public accommodations, housing
Fair housing
In the United States, the fair housing policies date largely from the 1960s. Originally, the terms fair housing and open housing came from a political movement of the time to outlaw discrimination in the rental or purchase of homes and a broad range of other housing-related transactions, such as...
, education, and credit.
All discriminatory incidents must be categorized as one of Iowa's twelve protected class
Protected class
Protected class is a term used in United States anti-discrimination law. The term describes characteristics or factors which can not be targeted for discrimination and harassment...
es:
- Race
- ColorHuman skin colorHuman skin color is primarily due to the presence of melanin in the skin. Skin color ranges from almost black to white with a pinkish tinge due to blood vessels underneath. Variation in natural skin color is mainly due to genetics, although the evolutionary causes are not completely certain...
- ReligionReligionReligion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
- CreedCreedA creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
- SexSexIn biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
- National origin
- AgeAgeismAgeism, also called age discrimination is stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination...
- DisabilityDisabilityA disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
(physical or mental) - Marital StatusMarital statusA person's marital status indicates whether the person is married. Questions about marital status appear on many polls and forms, including censuses and credit card applications.In the simplest sense, the only possible answers are "single" or "married"...
(in credit) - Familial statusFamilyIn human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
(in housing) - Sexual orientationSexual orientationSexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
- Gender identityGender identityA gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
Complaint Process
A complaint form is filled out by a person alleging discrimination. Next, the party to whom the complaint is directed is notified and given an opportunity to respond to the allegations. Investigators then begin collecting information to make a fair and impartial evaluation. During the investigation, both parties will be asked to consider mediationMediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
. Although after a complaint has been properly filed for 60 days the Sioux City Human Rights Commission may grant a “right to sue” letter and the person alleging discrimination may begin a lawsuit. In this event, the case will be closed.
When the investigation is completed, commissioners will determine if there is reason to believe that discrimination happened with either a “probable cause” or “no probable cause” finding. If it is “probable cause”, the next step is mandatory conciliation
Conciliation
Conciliation is an alternative dispute resolution process whereby the parties to a dispute agree to utilize the services of a conciliator, who then meets with the parties separately in an attempt to resolve their differences...
. If an agreement is reached, the case will be closed. If not, commissioners decide to either close the case or go to public hearing
Hearing (law)
In law, a hearing is a proceeding before a court or other decision-making body or officer, such as a government agency.A hearing is generally distinguished from a trial in that it is usually shorter and often less formal...
. If it is “no probable cause”, the investigation is then closed. The person who alleged discrimination then has the option of suing the other party at his/her own expense.
Events
The agency is also known for its wide variety of events that promote diversity and offer educational outreach.There are currently five annual events they put on:
- "Faces of Siouxland" MulticulturalMulticulturalismMulticulturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
Fair - "I Have a DreamI Have a Dream"I Have a Dream" is a 17-minute public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination...
" Art Project - Students Promoting Equality
- Universal Human Rights Day
- Juneteenth CelebrationJuneteenthJuneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States honoring African American heritage by commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865...
In addition, the agency hosts forums throughout the year focusing on issues such as immigration
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
, disabilities, and fair housing
Fair housing
In the United States, the fair housing policies date largely from the 1960s. Originally, the terms fair housing and open housing came from a political movement of the time to outlaw discrimination in the rental or purchase of homes and a broad range of other housing-related transactions, such as...
. Many are broadcasted live on a Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel.