EOD > Construction Compliance Office

BEDO Consent Decree

On October 1, 1984, the Black Elected Democrats of Ohio, Inc. (BEDO), filed a class action suit against the Governor of Ohio alleging discrimination and denial of equal employment opportunity in public sector construction industry. The BEDO Final Consent Decree ordered the Governor of the state of Ohio, and the Governor's officers and successors to accomplish a set of defined steps aimed at promoting equal employment opportunity in the public construction industry while simultaneously executing a series of directives benefiting plaintiff class members. These directives related to the promulgation of new and amended administrative rules and the funding of training, recruitment and referral programs designed to facilitate the increased participation of women and minorities in this industry.

The court ordered the creation of the State Construction Compliance Council (SCCC) and established the purpose, organization and objectives of the council as well as determining the relationship between the council, the Southern District Court and the state.

As a result of a consent decree entered into on March 18, 1988 between the State of Ohio and the Black Elected Democrats of Ohio, the court ordered the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to report semi-annually its efforts to enforce equal employment opportunity and its compliance with the BEDO Final Consent Decree.