The Office of Workplace Equity (OWE) was created to support the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts Citywide by developing new policies and procedures, investigating reports of Equity Violations, leading the City’s Reasonable Accommodation, partnering with departments to advise and assist their DEI efforts, and developing and sourcing training programs that instruct and inspire new ways of working more inclusively and equitably.
The City of Los Angeles has developed MyVoiceLA for current and former City employees, contract workers, interns and volunteers, commissioners, elected and appointed officials, and applicants for City employment who are seeking more information about their rights and responsibilities relating to discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation, you can use this portal to submit a complaint online.
Every individual adds a unique contribution toward making the City of Los Angeles a place where all employees can grow and succeed. We enable these contributions by actively embracing a diversity of people, ideas, talents, and experiences. The City of Los Angeles is proud of its commitment to inclusion and diversity among our employees. Diversity in our workforce gives the City access to a rich range of talent, representing different experiences, perspectives, and styles. These differences foster a collaborative and innovative work environment that makes us a stronger and better organization on every level.
The OWE supports departmental HR teams on matters related to eligibility for and administration of Family Medical Leave (FML). Department HR teams are available to support employees who have questions about their requested Family Medical leave(s).
The Return-to-Work Working Group is a collective partnership between the Office of Workplace Equity, various Department Personnel Officers, and our labor partners to establish paths and means to support employees who are returning to work after a medical-related leave of absence.
The City of Los Angeles recognizes the need to promote a work environment that is supportive of breastfeeding employees who wish to continue nursing their children when they return to work. Allowing employees to express milk at work is beneficial not only to the employee, but also the employer and the community. Women who breastfeed recover faster after childbirth and have a reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis. Healthier employees and babies mean fewer employee absences and lower health care costs.
The OWE coordinates the City's Reasonable Accommodation (RA) efforts in the following means: developing RA policies and procedures, providing advice to departmental HR on complex RA matters (routine RA matters are handled by departmental HR), spearheading the City's Disability Support Specialist Network, collaborating with the Return-to-Work Working Group, coordinating with the Worker's Compensation unit where appropriate, and administering the Citywide Placement program.
The Office of Workplace Equity (OWE) works with various City departments, elected offices, and outside experts to develop policies that uphold professional, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, and explain your rights and responsibilities as an employee of the City of LA. The City’s Workplace Equity Policy was designed to ensure that City Employees understand the City’s values of equity, inclusion, and diversity, that they can quickly and easily find out what behaviors are prohibited by the City of LA, and what they should do if they become aware of an ‘Equity Violation’ (an incident of harassment, discrimination or other prohibited conduct).