The City of Minneapolis is
Most LGBTQ+, Women and BIPOC Friendly Employers™ Certified
The City of Minneapolis is home to over 4,000 employees that serve our residents, businesses, and visitors every day. Some employees engage with the community. Other employees are behind the scenes or under our streets. No matter their role, each employee is key to making the City of Minneapolis vibrant and livable.
The City of Minneapolis is Most LGBTQ+ Friendly Employers™, Most Women Friendly Employers™, and Most BIPOC Friendly Employers™ certified for 2024.
The City of Minneapolis is a Diverse and Inclusive Employer
Having a workforce that represents the city we serve is a priority of ours. We're dedicated to equity and inclusion. A diverse staff produces better results. As a result, the City of Minneapolis welcomes people of all experiences and backgrounds to apply.
DEI Goals
Make our workforce more diverse and spend money with more types of businesses, use data the looks at different underrepresented groups when making decisions, and better connect with different communities through boards and commissions.
Goal 1:
Recruit, hire, retain, and advance a high-performing workforce that reflects the residents of Minneapolis.
Goal 2:
Transform the Culture of the City to create an inclusive and equitable employee experience.
Goal 3:
Build an enterprise-wide infrastructure that supports a cohesive approach to Workforce DEI across the City.
Vision Statement
The City of Minneapolis seeks to be recognized as an Employer of Choice – an inclusive organization where a
diverse group of dedicated and driven employees feel a sense of belonging and have equitable opportunities to thrive.
City of Minneapolis Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Plan 2022 – 2024
Workgroups, including the Chief HR Officer, HR Managers, HR Business Partners, the Trans Equity Coordinator, and Deloitte Consulting Services, along with Focus Groups comprised of employees from across the enterprise—spanning various levels of the organization, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), Equity Champions, labor partners, and employees of diverse backgrounds—and Department Leaders all participated in building the Workforce DEI Strategic Plan.
Our Transformative Stories
City of Minneapolis' Latest DEI Accomplishments
Supporting LGBTQ+ Staff and Communities
- Inclusive Policies: Our Paid Parental Leave Policy and the establishment of an Appeals Process showcase a firm commitment to employee well-being and diversity.
Community Support: The has a LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, which illustrates our dedication to creating a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ employees.
Recognition: The City achieved a score of 94 out of 100 in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Study speaking volumes about efforts towards creating an inclusive environment.
Practical Steps Toward Inclusion: Implementing gender-neutral restrooms and hiring the City's first LGBTQ+ Equity Program Manager are commendable steps towards practical inclusivity.
Advocacy and Leadership: Your initiatives, including observing Transgender Day of Remembrance and the establishment of the Transgender Equity Council, demonstrate leadership in LGBTQ+ equity.
Minneapolis was the first city in the State of Minnesota to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, a position subsequently adopted by numerous Minnesota cities and the State itself.
Minneapolis was the first city in the State of Minnesota to adopt an ordinance creating a domestic partner registry.
Minneapolis annually plays host to the Twin Cities LBGT Pride celebration, the city’s largest outdoor festival, in which Loring Park is turned into a forum for celebrating LGBT pride and those, including allies, who work for it.
Supporting Women Careers and Communities
- Inclusive Policies: The City improved its support for women in the workforce by amending its Paid Parental Leave Policy. Now, eligible employees can receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave for childbirth or adoption. This change acknowledges the importance of providing adequate time off for new parents and promotes wellness in the workplace. It's a positive step towards creating a more supportive environment for women and aligns with broader diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
Health and Wellness Initiatives: The City offers Sword Bloom. This is a digital pelvic health program for women. Sword Health developed Bloom to address pelvic health issues such as urinary leaking, bowel disorders and chronic pelvic pain. Guided by clinical experts, it covers all life stages including pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. Both benefits are offered to staff at no cost.
Personal Wellbeing: Workshops such as the Women, Wealth & Wisdom and Menopause and Mental Health offer practical guidance on management and mental health support during menopause. Employees gain insights into budgeting, saving, and investing, alongside strategies for managing menopause symptoms and maintaining mental well-being. These workshops foster an inclusive environment where women can access valuable resources and take away actionable steps to navigate life transitions effectively while thriving in their professional roles.
Professional Development: The City offers an Inclusive Procurement training. This training program, structured into 3-4 modules, is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusivity in procurement processes for underrepresented groups like women. The modules cover essential aspects: understanding the historical economic context and legal/policy foundations; exploring city infrastructure, expectations, and evaluations; identifying the roles of procurement staff and contract managers; and mastering advocacy and best practices for inclusive procurement. Through these comprehensive modules, participants gain practical knowledge and skills to actively support not only women's equity and inclusivity in procurement but the inclusion of other underrepresented groups, fostering a more diverse and equitable marketplace.
Long Term Support: The City formed WOMEN (Women of Minneapolis Employee Network). An Employee Resource Group (ERG) that plays a crucial role in promoting engagement and inclusion among women staff. The ERG is actively included and engaged in various city processes, practice updates, and projects, advocating for the experiences, voices, needs, and interests of women in our community. Through collaborative efforts with the ERG, the City foster a supportive environment where women staff have opportunities to contribute, collaborate, and advance professionally.
Supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) Careers and Communities
- Advancing BIPOC Inclusion and Equity through DEI Initiatives: In the past year, the City has made significant strides in promoting BIPOC inclusion and equity, exemplified by initiatives like our DEI Workforce Dashboard. This tool offers comprehensive insights into hiring, promotion, and turnover trends, specifically focusing on race, gender, generations, and other critical factors. Accessible to all hiring managers and directors, the Dashboard facilitates quick identification of diversity successes and areas needing improvement. This accessibility fosters informed decision-making and strategic planning, aligning the City’s workforce with its commitment to recruiting, retaining, and advancing a high-performing team that represents Minneapolis' diverse community.
Enhancing Workforce Diversity through Partnership with Diversity Job Boards: The City has teamed up with Diversity Job Boards to enhance workforce diversity. Since the mid-1990s, Diversity Job Boards have linked diversity-focused employers with individuals including people of color, women, veterans, all age groups, those with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ members. This partnership aims to align the City’s workforce with the community we serve. By leveraging evaluations and metrics analysis, it will bolster our recruitment efforts to reach a wider array of diverse candidates, complementing traditional platforms.
Empowering Leaders with the Leadership Development Program: The City offers the Leadership Development Program, a training initiative supporting inclusivity and leadership for underrepresented groups: people of color, women, veterans, all ages, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ members. This program equips leaders to foster an anti-racism workplace and promote racial equity through a 5-month journey of learning, self-reflection, and action. Participants boldly commit to eliminating barriers and advancing equity across all demographics.
Achieving Significant Increases in Diversity Hiring Efforts: The City has actively engaged in inclusive job fairs, media events, radio appearances, and key community events to reach diverse audiences. In Q1 2024, compared to the previous year:
o Hispanic or Latino hires increased by 56%.
o Native American hires increased by 57%.
o Asian hires increased by 14%.
o Black or African American hires increased by 8%.
Celebrating Diversity and Shared Experiences through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): The City’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) Program affirm, celebrate, and value BIPOC identities, shared values, and experiences within our workforce. These groups provide essential support and community, ensuring that all members' voices are heard and contributions recognized, fostering an inclusive environment where diversity thrives.
Inclusive Procurement Is a City of Minneapolis Value
- Commitment to Inclusive Procurement
The City is committed to inclusive procurement. It is a City goal to prioritize economic inclusion so that all workers and families are supported and lack, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) -owned businesses in all sectors can thrive. To help accomplish this, the City will operationalize a strategy to increase the number of BIPOC-owned businesses. The City seeks to increase the percent count of, and spend with, racially and ethnically diverse for-profit suppliers across all City departments.
Small and Underutilized Business Program (SUBP)
In addition to Citywide efforts to the increase the diversity of City suppliers, the Small and Underutilized Business Program (SUBP) requires all suppliers to make good faith efforts to subcontract with BIPOCowned and/or woman-owned firms (MBEs and WBEs) on larger city-funded projects. This program is enforced by the Contract Compliance Division of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights. Please visit the Small and Underutilized Business Program page for more information.
Women and Minority Workforce Goals
For all City construction and development projects exceeding $100,000, Bidders must meet the
following workforce goals during construction or document a good faith effort to do so.
• 20% of the total project trade hours to be performed by females
• 32% of the total project trade hours to be performed by minorities
DBE Certification by the Minnesota Unified Certification Program (MnUCP)
Only firms certified as an MBE or WBE by the MnUCP count towards SUBP inclusion goals. If a prime contractor is itself a certified MBE or WBE, it may count itself towards SUBP inclusion goals. A list of certified firms is available for reference through the MnUCP directory. Current MnUCP certifying agencies include the City of Minneapolis, Metropolitan Airports Commission, Metropolitan Council, and Minnesota Department of Transportation
Target Market Program (TMP)
The Target Market Program (TMP) is a race- and -gender-neutral program aimed at expanding opportunities for historically underutilized small businesses and stimulating the local economy through increased economic opportunities in the City’s marketplace. Under the TMP, qualified small businesses will have the ability to respond alongside other similarly situated small businesses for City contracts up to $175,000 instead of competing against larger, more established companies.
HUD Section 3 Businesses
The HUD Section 3 Program is a race- and gender-neutral program based solely on income and residency in the metropolitan area. This program applies only to construction projects that contain certain HUD financial assistance. To learn more about the HUD Section 3 Program and how to become certified as a Section 3 business, please visit the HUD Section 3 Program page.
Language Services (Translation and Interpretation Related Needs)
We do not want language to be a barrier for a business seeking to do business with the City. Our Neighborhood & Community Relations (NCR) staff may assist you. The NCR department's community specialists speak Spanish, Somali, Hmong and Lao. Please visit our Language Services page for guidance on who may assist you.
Ensuring Accessibility in Procurement Opportunities
ADA Accessibility For ADA related accommodations or alternative formats please contact 311.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000.
TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.
Para asistencia 612-673-2700, Yog xav tau kev pab, hu 612-673-2800, Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 612-673-3500.
Our default contact is 311 at 612-673-2343.
Why Work at City of Minneapolis?
Our large workforce includes a wide range of roles. Every employee has an opportunity to build a rewarding career. More than 4,000 people work in departments that serve the public or support City functions including (but not limited to): Animal Care & Control, Civil Rights, Elections & Voter Services, Fire, Police, Communications, Finance & Property Services, Information Technology, and Human Resources.
Our employees provide top-notch services in an innovative and engaging culture. We encourage staff to explore these opportunities for personal professional development such as employee resource groups, citywide training, tuition reimbursement, and leadership development.
Inclusive Hiring
The City Of Minneapolis Is Committed To Providing Equal Opportunity In Employment. The Goal Is To Provide Equal Opportunity To Current And Prospective Employees Without Regard To Race, Religion, Creed, Color, Age, Ancestry, National Origin, Sex (Including Pregnancy), Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Marital Status, Disability, Familial Status, Status With Regard To Public Assistance, Or Activity In A Local Human Rights Commission.
The City developed a plan to enhance the City’s current workforce-related diversity, equity, and
inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and demonstrates a comprehensive focus on establishing a more
inclusive and equitable employee experience for all employees at the City of Minneapolis.
The plan aligns with the Strategic and Racial Equity Action Plan (SREAP)’s Operational Priority
of “Diversify our Workforce” but goes beyond just a focus on diversity in recognition of the
work needed to ensure equity and inclusion for the City’s workforce.
Words from Nikki Odom, CHRO, City of Minneapolis
My goal is to create an environment where every employee can do their best work. Part of that is creating a workplace where employees feel empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. Innovation thrives where diversity is celebrated, and employees feel supported. Therefore, embracing and championing LGBTQ+ inclusion not only enriches our workforce but drives the City of Minneapolis and its residents towards greater success.
Nikki OdomCHRO, City of MinneapolisWhat our staff are saying?
Inclusion efforts are vital for a workplace culture that honors all forms of diversity. At the City of Minneapolis practical application of Inclusion means removing barriers, not adding tasks. By focusing on the LGBTI+ community, Minneapolis promotes inclusivity and equity, advancing broader societal goals of equality for all our employees.
Andre KoenLeadership and Change ManagerDiversity is being invited to the table. Inclusion is having a voice at the table. Belonging is feeling valued and accepted at the table. This is what we’re aiming to accomplish.
Dorothy JacksonCity of Minneapolis RecruiterLocal governments serve the unique role of directly engaging with and providing essential services to our communities. As we work to solve complex issues, it is critical that we understand the different needs, perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds of those we serve and that they see themselves reflected in us.
Kira HasbargenDirector of the Performance, Management, and Innovation DepartmentWhere is my employer?
Nominate your company to be Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certified!
Copyright © Diversity Social