CA Department of Justice Addresses DEI Issues
Attorney General takes steps to help ensure the DOJ’s work environment and hiring and retention policies can continue to be a model for elevating the voices of all Californians in the workforce.
The new council will take steps to help ensure that the DOJ’s work environment and hiring and retention policies can continue to be a model for elevating the voices of all Californians in the workforce. Today’s announcement builds on the DOJ’s commitment to fostering and maintaining an engaged and inclusive culture that celebrates shared values and diversity, which are integral to excellence.
“California is one of the most diverse states in the country,” said Attorney General Bonta. “And it’s critical that we work to ensure our institutions reflect that reality. The launch of this new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council is about helping fully realize that goal at the California Department of Justice. We recognize that our strength is our people — and the stronger we are, the better we can serve. To all those who want to help make California fairer and more just, come join us. We’re always looking for the best talent to help us defend the people, values, and resources of California.”
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council will help the DOJ set and implement strategies aimed at cultivating a work environment that respects the differences, talents, and abilities of all employees and fosters a culture where everyone has the opportunity to excel. As part of that, the council will work to strengthen the DOJ’s recruitment, hiring, and retention efforts, recognizing that an agency that better reflects California will be better situated to serve the needs of all Californians. As an example, one challenge is that minority communities remain underrepresented among licensed attorneys in the state. As a state entity, the DOJ is committed to ensuring its workforce reflects the diversity of California. Improving recruitment and hiring efforts as well as helping build up the quality and diversity of candidate pools is a top priority. Ultimately, the DOJ is committed to hiring the best candidates for the job, based on merit, to help serve the people of California.
In order to help meet that challenge, the new council is designed to be a centralized cross-level, cross-functional, and active body responsible for coordinating and implementing the DOJ’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Members of the council will begin to meet monthly and will be authorized to create subcommittees or task forces as needed. The council will include representatives from each of the DOJ’s divisions and members of the DOJ’s employee organizations, such as the Asian and Pacific Islander, Black, and LGBTQ+ Employee Advisory Committees. Some of the council’s initial top-level goals will be to:
• Help the DOJ continue to evolve its organizational culture, potentially through the expansion of formal mentoring programs
• Enhance existing recruiting and hiring processes by, among other things, increasing communication between staff and prospective employees through effective outreach
• Build on ongoing efforts to reduce potential bias by encouraging, among other things, diverse interview panels
In order to continue to grow as an organization that reflects all of California, Attorney General Bonta urges people of all backgrounds to considera career at the DOJ. For more than 150 years, the Office of the Attorney General has served as the people’s lawyer and a leader in law enforcement and crime prevention. DOJ employees are committed to meeting the highest professional standards — in service of the people of California.