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<section article="gsp" article_name="State Personnel and Pensions" number="5-207" title_number="5" title_name="Employee Rights and Protections" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Equal Employment Opportunity Program in the Executive Branch of State Government">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The head of each principal unit shall appoint:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a fair practices officer who:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, reports directly to the head of the unit; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>is an assistant secretary or an employee of the unit with stature similar to that of an assistant secretary; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an appropriate number of equal employment opportunity officers for the unit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If necessary, the fair practices officer of a unit may also be the unit’s equal employment opportunity officer.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The fair practices officer of the Department of State Police:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>shall be an expert in diversity issues and equal employment law, procedures, and practices;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>shall report directly to the Secretary of State Police; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>may not be a sworn law enforcement officer.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>All appointments under this subsection shall be made in accordance with position descriptions approved by the Secretary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Department shall provide training, assistance, and advice for equal employment opportunity officers and fair practices officers.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Each fair practices officer shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>implement the Program within the unit;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>investigate and, as appropriate, resolve complaints filed under § 5–211 of this subtitle; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>coordinate activities of equal employment opportunity officers in the unit.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>An equal employment opportunity officer shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>monitor all personnel actions adopted by the unit;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>attest that procedures consistent with this article, the Governor’s Code on Fair Practices, and other State and federal equal employment opportunity laws were followed by the unit in taking a personnel action; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>perform the duties assigned by the fair practices officer and any other duty required by this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>An appointing authority shall delay the effective date of any adverse personnel action that directly affects an equal employment opportunity officer for up to 45 days, pending review and resolution by the Coordinator.</text>
  </level>
</section>
