City Council Agenda Report
February 3, 2026
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: James C. Parker, Executive Director of Regional Transportation Theresa Clark, Transit Administration Officer
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM FOR YEARS 2026-2030
Background:
The Norwalk Transit System (NTS), as a designated recipient of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding assistance, is subject to the FTA Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program; pursuant to 49 U.SC. Section 5332, FTA Circular 4704.1A, and 49 CFR Part 27. These regulations define the components that NTS must address and incorporate in its EEO Program.
Accordingly, the FTA conducts EEO reviews to ensure compliance by recipients, and sub- recipients with program guidelines by requiring submission of updated EEO programs every four years. Further, FTA recipients are required to comply with 49 CFR Part 27, “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial Assistance.”
The objectives of FTA’s EEO requirements, as specified in FTA Circular 4704.1A, are:
To ensure that FTA applicants, recipients, subrecipients, contractors and/or subcontractors will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, or disability. To ensure that FTA applicants, recipients, subrecipients, contractors and/or subcontractors will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants and employees are treated without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Such action shall include, but not be limited to, hiring, promotion or upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination, disciplinary actions, rates of pay or other forms
City Council February 3, 2026
Equal Employment Opportunity Program 2026-2030 Page No. 2 1 4
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of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. It shall also include a written Affirmative Action Plan designed to achieve full utilization of minorities and women in all parts of the work force; and To ensure that FTA applicants, recipients, subrecipients, contractors, and/or subcontractors will post in conspicuous places and make available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the recipient’s EEO policy. In addition, recipients will notify applicants/employees of the recipients’ procedures for filing complaints of discrimination internally, as well as externally with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the local human rights commission, and/or the U.S. Department of Transportation.
A formal EEO Program is required of any recipient that employs 100 or more transit-related employees (including temporary, full-time, or part-time employees either directly employed and/or through contractors) and requested or received in excess of $1 million in capital or operating assistance, or in excess of $250,000 in planning assistance in the previous federal fiscal year. Staff reviewed the EEO Program and determined it to be in compliance with FTA requirements. Program updates are mandatory every four years with a due date of March 1st. Failure to submit an EEO Program may delay the award of FTA funds or the processing of grant applications.
This EEO Program plan fulfills the requirements of FTA Circular 4704.1A and 49 CFR Parts 27 and reaffirms NTS’ commitment to attracting, developing, and retaining a qualified workforce.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council approve the Equal Employment Opportunity Program for years 2026-2030; and authorize the Executive Director of Regional Transportation to submit the updated Equal Employment Opportunity Program to the Federal Transportation Administration by the deadline of March 1, 2026.
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City Council February 3, 2026
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Attachments:
2026-2030 Equal Employment Opportunity Program document (on file in the City Clerk’s Department and on the City’s website) at: https://link.norwalkca.gov/6n2.