§ 34–1262.02. Affirmative action.

(a) In order to maximize opportunities for minority employment and participation in the cable television industry, each cable operator shall make a positive and good faith effort to establish employment goals and timetables designed to achieve minority representation equal to the minority population of the District by the end of the first year of the franchise and throughout the balance of the franchise term; provided, that qualified or qualifiable minority persons are available. The adoption and implementation of goals and timetables by a cable operator shall not constitute a discriminatory practice prohibited under this chapter. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “qualifiable” refers to minority persons who can be trained in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(b) Upon the grant of a franchise, the cable operator shall submit its construction and skilled trades apprenticeship-training programs to the Director of the District of Columbia Apprenticeship Council for approval and registration pursuant to § 32-1431.

(c) The cable operator shall report annually to the Office of Human Rights regarding the status of its training programs including a detailed analysis of the cable operator’s efforts to achieve its goals and timetables.

(d) Failure to comply with any provision of this section shall constitute an unlawful discriminatory practice and shall subject the cable operator to fines imposed by the Office of Human Rights of not less than $1,000 for each day that the violation persists and any other penalties that may be imposed pursuant to District law or this chapter.