Did You Know?

That in the City of Cincinnati it is illegal to discriminate or treat individuals differently based on race, gender, age, color, religion, disability status, marital status, sexual orientation or transgender status, or ethnic, national or Appalachian regional origin; or to have grooming policies that prohibit treated or untreated hair, natural hair, afros, braids, twists, cornrows, or locks. It is also illegal for employers to request salary history of an applicant for employment.

Cincinnati is the second city in the country, after New York City, to pass a law against discriminating against those who have natural hair(styles); and, one of 19 localities to have outlawed pay history questions. 

For more information about what constitutes unlawful discrimination, please see the City’s Municipal Code 914- on Unlawful Discriminatory Practices here.

 

How to File

Have you experienced any housing, employment, or public accommodation discrimination within the past 6 months that you feel was based on race, gender, age, color, religion, disability status, marital status, sexual orientation or transgender status, or ethnic, national or Appalachian regional origin? Or Have you experienced any housing, employment, or public accommodation discrimination based on your natural hair(style) since November 9, 2019?

To report unlawful discrimination, please submit your complaint to the City of Cincinnati here:

Online Discrimination Complaint Form

Printable Discrimination Complaint Form

Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

In May 2015, Cincinnati became the seventh city to join the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Cities for CEDAW is a nationwide, grassroots effort to encourage local governments to become more gender equitable. Research shows that inadvertent discrimination is common without a proactive review of city activities. CEDAW ordinances require cities to evaluate their programs and budgets and ensure they affect men and women equitably. It is a process, a fairer way of operating, not a separate program. This is the only international human rights treaty that focuses entirely on ending discrimination against women. It addresses important issues such as:

• Equal pay for women
• Elimination of violence against women
• Support for families and caregivers

Source: UN Women

 

Pulse Reports

The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has become the region’s expert on the status of women’s economic self-sufficiency with the PULSE Studies. These studies, as well as the expert staff at The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, have helped inform decisions made by Cincinnati’s elected officials.

Find PULSE Reports here.

The Women’s Fund has more than two decades of deep involvement, understanding and building results to address women’s self-sufficiency issues in Greater Cincinnati. We stay at the forefront of the challenges and solutions affecting women and their families both locally and nationally.

We believe and research shows that when you empower women, the entire community thrives. The Women’s Fund is focused on making positive, long-term systemic change for working women who are striving to become self-sufficient.

Source: The Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

 

The City of Cincinnati's Gender Equality Task Force and their work through the University of Cincinnati Gender Equity Research Team

The momentum of Cincinnati becoming a CEDAW city and the influence of The Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati’s PULSE reports, eventually led to the creation of the City of Cincinnati’s Gender Equality Task Force in May of 2017. The goal of the Task Force is to conduct a Gender Study of the City of Cincinnati Government, which is funded through city ordinance.

The study is being conducted by The University of Cincinnati Equity Research Team.

Results of The University of Cincinnati Equity Research Team’s findings:

• The University of Cincinnati Gender Equity Research Team’s Gender Study of City of Cincinnati Government Summary of Preliminary Report (Nov 2018)
• The University of Cincinnati Gender Equity Research Team’s City of Cincinnati Gender Study Update (April 2019)
• Final report

• Topline Findings & Recommendations for City of Cincinnati Gender Equality Study 

  • Visual Summary 
  • Presentation before Council 

 

Women Helping Women's Collaboration with the Cincinnati Police Department

The City of Cincinnati Police Department has partnered with Women Helping Women (WHW) to provide on-scene advocacy to survivors of domestic violence during 911 calls. This is a strong collaboration that is emerging as a best practice.

Founded in 1973, Women Helping Women (WHW) prevents gender-based violence and empowers all survivors. WHW provides evidence-based prevention and expert crisis intervention and support services for survivors of dating violence, sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking in Hamilton and Butler, Ohio Counties (including sexual violence crisis services to Brown and Adams Counties). WHW operates from a public health framework that is survivor centric and promotes diversity and inclusion as core operating values. WHW meets the needs of our region and serves over 15,000 clients annually.

Source: Women Helping Women

The individuals who collaborate with CPD are called Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT™) Advocates.

DVERT™ is a trauma focused crisis response team that provides an on-call, on-scene response to domestic violence survivors to avert gender-based violence and to prevent children from growing up in violent homes. DVERT™ provides on-scene safety planning, access to resources, empowerment, and engagement in on-going support services.

• DVERT™  has responded to 1,068 survivors from February 2018 through March 2019.
• The highest percentage of DVERT™  survivors range in age from 18-30 at 50.8%.
• 85% of survivors complete a safety plan on scene with an advocate

 

The City of Cincinnati gets Queen City Certified

In the fall of 2018, City Council voted to make the City of Cincinnati Departments of Human Resources and of Transportation and Engineering Queen City Certified.

Queen City Certified (QCC) sets the standard for gender equity in the US workplace. QCC recognizes, promotes, and supports employers that aren’t just talking about equity but implementing data-driven strategies to improve the world of work for people of all genders, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. With hands-on coaching and mentoring, QCC gives visionary leaders the tools to change organizational policies, shift company culture, and disrupt biases so that they can attract and retain best-in-class talent.

Souce: Queen City Certified

Results of Queen City Certified’s findings:

• Department of Human Resources Report, Fall 2018
• Department of Transportation and Engineering Report, Fall 2018

The City of Cincinnati Ordinance

In addition to Queen City Certified’s direct work with various City departments, the organization also assisted during the research phase of the City of Cincinnati’s Salary History Ordinance. During the Equity, Inclusion, Youth & The Arts Committee Meeting on March 12, 2019, QCC presented information detailing a local perspective from businesses on this ordinance.

The Salary History Ordinance has many community supporters. Among them is The Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation, another organization whose research and collaboration was an integral part of the passage of this law.

In addition to QCC’s presentation at the Equity, Inclusion, Youth, & The Arts Committee Meeting on March 12, 2019, The Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation also presented leading research on the impact of a Salary History Ordinance. The January 10, 2019 report “How Do Employers Use Compensation History?: Evidence From a Field Experiment” conducted by Dr. Moshe A. Barach of the University of Minnesota and Dr. John J. Horton of NYU Stern served as recent and compelling evidence to support the ordinance.

Related: Letter of support from Dr. Moshe A. Barach.

The Salary History Ordinance went into effect in April 2020. Here is a one-pager from The Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation with information for employers on how to be compliant with this law.

 

The Salary History Implementation Working Group

This Salary History Implementation Working Group meets virtually every 3^rd Monday of the month at 4:00 p.m. The July meeting of the SHWG has been moved to Monday July 12, 2021, at 4pm. Remote access and meeting minutes can be requested by contacting kelly.carr@cincinnati-oh.gov.

The Working Group is charged with the task of evaluating the effectiveness of the law and to assist and advise Cincinnati employers on the impact and implementation of the ordinance.

Current Members:

• Tammy Bennett
• Nicole Armstrong
• Holly Hankinson

Each appointed member of the Working Group shall serve a two-year term and may serve no more than two consecutive two-year terms. Please refer to the Salary History Ordinance for more information on the Working Group.  

Applications for appointment consideration are always accepted. Please use the below link to apply. 

Application for the Salary History Implementation Working Group