EEOC Proposes Eliminating Workforce Demographic Data Reports

By a 2-1 vote along party lines, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is moving ahead with its proposal to eliminate workforce demographic data requirements. EEO-1 applies to employers with 100 or more employees and some federal contractors, and EEO-2 through EEO-6 impose similar requirements on labor unions, public schools, and state and local government employers. The move to rescind these longstanding requirements is yet another indicator of the agency’s shift away from enforcing certain aspects of federal civil rights laws. The proposal will now have a public comment period after publication in the Federal Register.

The EEO Data Reports have traditionally collected workforce data on race, ethnicity, sex, and job category. The data submission requirement was intended to allow the EEOC to identify potential discrimination and establish enforcement priorities. However, supporters of the EEOC proposal praise it for reducing regulatory burdens on employers and