Arizona employers should take note of a recent development from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office: Attorney General Kris Mayes has announced the creation of a new Community Civil Rights Advisory Council within her office. The move follows the Arizona Legislature’s decision earlier this year to eliminate the state’s long-standing Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board.
For nearly 60 years, the former Advisory Board worked with the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Division to research and address civil rights issues across the state, including hate-based crimes and incidents, fair housing, accessibility concerns impacting individuals with disabilities, and civil rights issues in rural communities. According to the Attorney General’s Office, the newly created Council intends to continue that community engagement and support the office’s work to address unlawful discrimination in Arizona.
What Does it Mean?
While the announcement does not create new employer obligations, it signals continued attention from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office on civil rights and anti-discrimination issues statewide. Employers should view this as a reminder to review workplace practices, policies, and complaint-response procedures to ensure they are aligned with applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination requirements.
The Council’s work may also help shape future areas of focus for the Attorney General’s Office, particularly around accessibility and broader civil rights concerns. A few key next steps to consider include the following:
- Review equal employment opportunity, anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, and reasonable accommodation policies for compliance with applicable state and federal laws.
- Confirm that managers and supervisors understand how to identify, escalate, and respond to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and accommodation-related concerns.
- Evaluate complaint intake and investigation procedures to ensure employee concerns are handled promptly, consistently, and appropriately documented.