Reviewing citywide internal policies with an equity lens embeds equitable considerations in city policies and supports the goal of achieving an innovative and high-performance organization. This initiative helps identify inequities in policies that affect the entire workforce, with particular attention to underserved and marginalized groups. By removing language, processes, and procedures that disproportionately impact employees, the City can reduce risks over time, improve efficiency, and ensure more just outcomes. Ultimately, this work strengthens Durham’s commitment to being a great place to live, work, and play.

Staff have developed and applied a comprehensive Equity-Focused Policy Review framework to evaluate HRM policies for fairness, clarity, and consistent application — producing actionable improvements across the organization.

Key activities include:
• Applying a two-stage review framework: Stage 1 Portfolio Assessment (56 of 73 HRM policies evaluated and rated High/Medium/Low priority) and Stage 2 Targeted Policy Review (17 policies with detailed equity analysis).
• Identifying common themes including undefined terms, inconsistent discretion, inaccessible attachments, and unclear procedures — and delivering concrete recommendations for each.
• Sharing findings with HR and collaborating with contributor-level staff to strengthen supervisor decision-making, update revision dates, add plain-language guidance, and introduce visual flowcharts.
• Demonstrating concrete impact: the Disciplinary Policy was strengthened for procedural fairness; the Reasonable Accommodations policy was improved for consistent access and clearer process in support of ADA rights.