It is the policy of the City of Punta Gorda to recognize and fulfill its commitment to the community in the area of Equal Employment Opportunity through an affirmative action plan that will increase both the quantity of minorities employed and the level of responsibility of jobs held by minorities employed and females within the City government. The City will not knowingly permit discrimination in hiring, promotion, or other conditions of employment with regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin. Those charged with the daily administration of this policy will be responsible for guarding against under-utilization of minorities and females within the organization and will work toward the eventual goal of full representation of minorities and females at all levels in the organization.

Click here for the 2023 EEO Report

City of Punta Gorda Equal Employment Opportunity Grievance Procedure:

The complaint should be in writing and contain information about the alleged discrimination such as name, address, phone number of complainant and location, date, and description of the problem.  Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.

The complaint should be submitted by the grievant and/or his/her designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to:                                               

EEO Coordinator and Human Resources Manager
326 West Marion Avenue, Punta Gorda, FL 33950

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the Human Resources Manager, or his designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions.  Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, the Human Resources Manager, or his designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, such as large print, Braille, or audio tape.  The response will explain the position of the City of Punta Gorda and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.

If the response by the Human Resources Manager, or his designee does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or his/her designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to the City Manager or his/her designee.  

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the City Manager or his/her designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions.  Within 15 calendar days after the meeting, the City Manager or his/her designee will respond in writing, and, where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, with a final resolution of the complaint.

All written complaints received by the Human Resources Manager, or his designee, appeals to the the City Manager or his/her designee, and responses from these two offices will be retained by the [public entity] for at least three years.