Big Changes Coming To Worcester Human Rights, Equity Systems: Batista

WORCESTER, MA — It's been almost one year since Worcester's last chief diversity officer resigned — the third in six years — with tough words for the city's approach to diversity, equity and inclusion.

In her resignation letter, Stephanie Williams called the city's DEI efforts an "extracurricular activity," and said Worcester lacked the "operational structures and business design" to achieve authentic equity.

On Friday, Worcester City Manager Eric Batista submitted his proposal to shake up the city's approach to DEI, something he designed with Williams' departure in mind, he said.

Batista's plan would put the city's next chief diversity officer — now renamed the "chief equity officer" — at the helm of a new Executive Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion overseeing three subgroups: human rights, investigations, and training and development.

The new executive office would include a more empowered Human Rights Commission bolstered by investigators who can examine complaints against city employees, and external actors like landlords and employers.

"For me, it's personal," Batista, the first person of color to serve as Worcester's city manager, said Friday. "We want to see a change to the internal approach to how we do business."

The new department will mean changing two important boards that report to the city manager. Batista said he would combine the Human Rights Commission with the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, whose members stopped meeting in March 2022 as a form of protest over Williams' resignation.

The new Human Rights Commission — which would expand to include the current DEI committee members — would play a key role on internal and external civil and human rights complaints by making recommendations following city investigations. Batista said Worcester Public Schools and the police department would be under the commission's purview.

The commission will not have the ability to discipline city employees itself, but will be able to review investigations and issue reports and orders following complaints.

Until now, the Human Rights Commission has not had a staff to exercise the subpoena and deposition powers it has under city ordinances, Batista said. Part of the restructure will mean moving the Human Resources Department's investigator into the new equity office, and hiring an additional investigator. For the first time, the public will have a place on the city website to file complaints.

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As an example, Batista said a tenant who is experiencing a problem renting from a landlord. If a human rights investigation determines the landlord was in violation of state or local law, the Human Rights Commission could issue an order, like that the landlord has to provide the tenant with rental unit.

The new office would also keep the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women, Advisory Committee on Latino Affairs and Accessibility Advisory Committee. Each one would have its own mission — for example, the commission on women would make recommendations on pay equity, according to Batista's plan.

Batista's plan will be presented to the city council on Tuesday. Councilors have to sign off on funding new positions in the proposal. The plan will also create a structure for a department when the city finds Williams' successor. Batista said he anticipates Worcester will conduct a national search this spring, with a final candidate possibly by summer.

"I am extremely proud of our city's vastly diverse community. My goal is to ensure that our government reflects that diversity," Batista said in a memo to councilors outlining the plan. "Doing so will require an intentional, equitable and good-faith approach, which I am eager to implement."