Public Information Center
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Policy Employment Practices
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) was created in 1967 to develop, maintain and operate a coordinated regional public transportation system for the benefit of the people and commerce in Erie and Niagara counties in local accordance with New York State governing legislation. Since the outset, local, state and federal affirmative action and equal opportunity regulations increasingly apply to employment, services, construction, purchase, supply lease arrangements: all aspects of business.
The NFTA is committed to undertaking an affirmative action program, including goals and timetables, in order to overcome the effects of past discrimination on minorities and women.
Specific staff assignments to these priority concerns has increased since the early 1970’s. Actions by the Board of Commissioners have implemented provisions which assure the employment, promotion and retention of personnel and the contracting for goods and services, on the basis of qualifications and affirmative action with regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin or disability.
The authority recognizes its additional responsibilities for contractor compliance with affirmative action/equal opportunity laws, regulations, and policies, and reaffirms NFTA’s intent to provide transportation services to all segments of the population with special emphasis on serving the needs of transit dependents.
Within the affirmative action/equal opportunity ideals, the NFTA hereby establishes the following specific objectives.
- Discrimination against various minorities and against women imposes unacceptable social, economic and employee losses on the Authority and the communities throughout NFTA’s service area: the Niagara Frontier. Such losses must be eliminated through vigorous enforcement of current regulations and laws to achieve the objectives of the spirit, as well as the letter of the provisions.
- The Authority shall maintain ongoing efforts to attract, maintain, upgrade and achieve a balanced workforce in compliance with the implementation of an effective affirmative action program which provides for realistic equal opportunity results not only in the initial employment, but also in those personnel actions regarding training, promotion, transfer, layoff and appointments affecting the workforce of the NFTA, its contractors, sub-contractors and parties to lease, contract, and license agreements.
- The Authority will continue to make special efforts to recruit women, minority, disabled persons and veterans in professional and managerial positions to insure a non-discriminatory workforce within each organizational component, as well as within the Authority staff as a whole.
- The Authority shall inform the public of its job opportunities and shall maintain liaison with those organizations which have the capability of providing the necessary training in order to assist persons in qualifying for employment.
- The NFTA also will require that all contractors and sub-contractors comply with the appropriate federal and state regulations and with the affirmative action policies of the Authority, and this Affirmative Action Policy Statement shall be cited as part of each and all of the Authority’s invitations to bid.
- The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority authorizes its administrators through the directives of the Chairman to develop and implement the appropriate guidelines and regulations in conformance with the above Affirmative Action policies.
- Managers and supervisors at every level shall be responsible for progressive leadership, for imaginative action and for definite results from the efforts for which each is accountable.
Note: The NFTA has also issued an Equal Opportunity in-Service and Employment Policy Statement and other policies and procedures condemning discrimination. All employees are expected to familiarize themselves and comply with these policies and procedures.