Strategic HR Lawyer

The EEOC recently issued its annual report on the federal workforce.  In a press release announce last week, the Commission discussed complaint information and other data on the federal workforce.  Some of the findings include:

• There were 19,024 discrimination complaints filed against federal agencies by 17,878 individuals (some of whom were repeat filers) - a 6% decline from FY 2003.
• The most frequent bases of allegations continue to be: reprisal (7,782), age (5,449), race-black (5,021), and sex-female (4,613). The top issues cited in complaints continue to be harassment (non-sexual), promotion/non-selection, and terms/conditions of employment.
• Only about 43% of investigations by federal agencies were completed on time, as agencies overall continued to exceed the regulatory 180-day time frame. A total of 11,876 investigations were completed government-wide in an average of 280 days during FY 2004 - up from 267 days the previous year.
• Complainants obtained approximately $55 million in total monetary benefits which includes findings and settlements through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) - as a result of EEO complaints closed by the employing agency or on appeal - down from $61 million in FY 2003.
• Reflecting the diversity of the nation, 66.9% of federal employees in 2004 were white, 18.2% were Black, 7.5% were Hispanic, 5.8% were Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1.7% were American Indian or Alaskan Native. Women have made the most gains in securing senior level positions in the federal government.

For the EEOC press release go here.  For the detailed report, go here.