Improving Recruitment Practices of the Fire Department

This memo presents my utmost concerns to the recruitment practices carried out by the fire department and the ways that it carries out its recruitment services.

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First, I would like to appreciate the fact that the city has some money to expand hiring of more firefighters approximately 1000 firefighters in your department after a long time of frozen hiring years. My main concerns, though are the fact that your department has an alarming number of white recruits or employees than the other minority groups which are the black people. Your office is leading high in levels of racial discrimination, and this discourages other potential recruits from applying to your department. There is also the issue of nepotism where only relatives of those working in your department are allowed to work to there while others are denied the chance. The recruitment services in the past have also not been clear or fair, but rather very bias since people only heard of it through word of mouth from relatives working there.

Another impending issue is the fact that your department recruit so little or no women at all in your employee list. The minority group from poor educational backgrounds also did not pass the exams set by the fire department. These issues are a clear indication of unethical practices practiced and encouraged the fire department. These are very unlawful practice and despite the laws clearly forbidding the acts, they are widely practiced throughout the country. The federal law strictly emphasizes the equality act where sex, age, religion or race is bought together regarding employment and that no person should be a victim of such discrimination in their workplaces (Federal Anti-discrimination laws). These practices lead to temporary or even permanent damage to the self esteem of the affected minority groups.

The fire department should, therefore, encourage less discrimination regarding race and gender, at least, to cab a large number of affected groups already (Ruggiero, et.al, 1997). Under the various theories of race discrimination, the violation of the Title VII of the 1964 civil rights act is evidently encouraged and proven by the fire department since the employment policy has adverse effects on the protected class which are the minority in this case. Whereby the act states that the employers acts of discrimination are unintentional decision to treat people differently, I still emphasize that this issue is minimized and controlled (Fischer, et.al.1999). Such same recruitment practices that took place in the past in the fire department are therefore strictly not recommended under any circumstances whatsoever. Whenever there is recruitment going on for additional firefighters, the fire department should solely take responsibility in officially announcing the job opportunities rather than the initial word of mouth initiative. This will ensure fair processes and reduce biases during the recruitment period.

The fire department should also be easy enough to consider eradication of essay based exams for the sake of those groups that had their education in poorly administered schools. This will greatly encourage others even the minority groups to apply for such opportunities (Herman, et.al.1991). If the same practices are followed again shortly the same outcomes will be seen as the lack of self-esteem, depression amongst others. It is with regret that these outcomes, however, cannot be challenged under the disparate impact theory of racial discrimination since it could always be unintentional racism, nepotism or biased (Lawrence et.al, 2011).

The Human resource department would greatly advise some simple changes to be incorporated into the recruitment process of the firefighters:

- First, a significant number of women or female workers should be recruited into the program.

- The minority should be given an equal chance of recruitment just like the majority.

- There should be an official base announcement of the recruitments period like leaflets, TVs advertising, the internet amongst many other methods of publicizing the recruitments.

- Simple questionnaires should be availed as the exam of application to avoid biases based on educational background.

These changes if applied to the department may bring about significant change especially since it increases the pool of applicants and decreases risks of self-exposure to discrimination related issues.

The theory of disparate impact prohibits employers from using a facially neutral employment practice that has an unjustified negative effect on members of a particular protected class. Therefore, the Use of names and gender identification however will be ruled out. This is due to the fact that if many successful applicants are the male, then the employer may not want to recruit more firefighters. This is an intentional discrimination to women and, therefore, an illegal violation of the disparate treatment law and direct violation of the constitutions right to equal protection (Dan,pp2-5). The proof of discriminatory activity may not be required because in these cases the federal is only concerned with the consequences of employment practices and not motivation i.e. if the employer proves that the discrimination is job-related, then the applicants must show other selection devices which in this case might not be available (Fick, et.al. 1997).

In cases of failure of turn-up of the minority applicants or the number remains less than 80% than the non-minority several steps may be taken in the account of certifying your results. The fire commission should be able to encourage minority applicants to apply for the same, and they should ensure them of equal rights in the recruitment procedures. The fire commission should also take the initiative to take advice from the other cities that recruit minorities and try using their methods to help increase results. The recruitment testing methods, however, should be enhanced, and biases discouraged. If tests are taken, every person that has scored above the average should be recruited equally even if they are the minority or non-minority. In the event that minority did worse in tests they should be given a chance at other related tests or even incur training on the same to ensure no one potential should be left out.

Consequently, women are as much determined by the men. They should, therefore, be given a significant chance if not equal rights at employment. Women tend to be emotional driven, and this helps them have outstanding instincts in firefighting related issues. Furthermore, women have proven to be intelligent and have since passed the written exams in the firefighting department but sadly failed in the physical tests. I would highly recommend that those women who have passed the written tests to be secluded and made to undergo training on the basics and ways of firefighting. This way it would ensure a significant amount of women recruited in the department, after all, they do deserve it.

In conclusion, the practice of discrimination in any way is it nepotism or racism is a very outdated way of conducting any business in the city. These ways must be apprehended and discouraged so as to achieve a national goal at large. The fire department should, therefore, uphold the constitutions law of equal protection and offer their services to both the minority and the non-minority as well. Women should as well be recruited and given a chance to prove their value the city as potential firefighters. It is of great importance that the Commission takes the interest in the designed method of advertising and recruiting applicants to create a pool of applicants in the next future.

I look forward to discussing fresh designs and implementation of large recruitments into the fire department.

Best Regards,

Name

References

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Discrimination that confronts them: The role of self esteem and perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social psychology. 72(2):373-389

Fischer AR, Shaw CM. (1999); African Americans mental health and perceptions of racists

Discrimination: The moderating effects of racial socialization experiences and self esteem. Journal of counseling psychology.Herman Aguinins, Cascio, Wayne F. (1991): Applied psychology in Human Resource

. Management (6th edition). Englewood Cliffs, N.J; Prentice Hall

Lawrence Ph.D., Amie (2011); the big AI: Select international, Inc.

Dan Biddle. (pp. 2-5); adverse impacts and tests validation: A practitioners guide to Valid and

Defensible Employment Testing. Aldershot, Hants, England; Gower Technical Press

Fick KM, Barbara.(1997).;the American Bar Association Guide to workplace Law:Everything

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