Civil Rights

The Department of Civil Rights (DCR) has recently implemented changes to the job referral program outlined in the Madison General Ordinances and Affirmative Action Plans. Changes to this program include: a name change, new partnerships, and an online referral tool.

A press conference to introduce the community to the new RaISE Program and partners was held at 10:00 A.M. on September 18, 2018 in Room 7 at the Dane County Job Center, 1819 Aberg Avenue, Madison.

The Referrals and Interviews for Sustainable Employment (RaISE) program, formally known as the Job Skills Bank, works to match individuals seeking employment with companies under contract with the City of Madison.

Any company that receives more than $25,000 annually from the City of Madison and is required to file an Affirmative Action Plan, agrees to submit all job postings, for jobs in Dane County to the Department of Civil Rights. These employers also agree to interview any qualified applicant referred by the Department of Civil Rights or designated organizations.

The Department of Civil Rights maintains a list of all available jobs with City of Madison contractors. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the authorized referral agencies to request an employment referral for any position on the list. If the referred applicant meets the minimum qualifications as outlined in the job posting, they are given a referral letter to include in their application materials, which guarantees them an interview.

The program allows for community-based organizations who work in the field of job development and placement to partner with the City of Madison on referring qualified candidates for employment. With these new partnerships, the Department of Civil Rights expects to see a greater number of referrals for open positions with City of Madison contractors. These partnering agencies are able to access the list of available jobs and refer candidates in a newly developed online portal.

Unemployment rates change drastically when looking at race and/or ethnicity. The most recent American Community Survey estimates the following unemployment rates for the Madison Metropolitan Area[1]:

• 3.8% for individuals who identify as White
• 10.1% for individuals who identify as Black or African American
• 15.4% for individuals who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native
• 5.9% for individuals who identify as Asian
• 2.5% for individuals who identify as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• 7.5% for individuals who identify as two or more races
• 7.6% for individuals who identify as Hispanic or Latino

Organizations interested in partnering with the RaISE program can contact the Department of Civil Rights at (608) 266-4910 or by emailing raise@cityofmadison.com.

 
[1]  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates