Generally, human relations commissions are represented on affirmative action committees or have their own committee to address county employment issues. Commissions frequently will monitor county employment policies, procedures and practices to ensure that they are not discriminatory.
As in employment legislation may preempt local governmental agencies from enforcing laws barring discrimination in housing. However, fair housing groups investigate and discover discrimination in housing by sending out “testers” to determine whether people representing those protected by law are treated differently than other applicants for housing. When discrimination is found the group may charge the offending party with discrimination.
Human relations commission often develop working relationships with local fair housing groups.
Commissions may take the lead to ensure that people who move into areas where they are not the dominant racial or ethnic group are welcomed. Programs to accomplish this vary according to the situation. The type of activity appropriate when a relatively large number of people representing an ethnic or racial group move into an area populated with people from a different ethnic or racial group may be inappropriate when a few families of one ethnic or racial group move into a relatively homogeneous community of people from another ethnic or racial group. Programs may involve the residents in isolation from the institutions of the county, or they may involve the schools, law enforcement and other public agencies.
