How are EEO-1 reports used?
The EEOC uses EEO-1 data in two ways. First, it uses the information to support civil rights enforcement. If an employee files a discrimination charge, the agency will examine the employer’s reports for information about the composition of its workforce. The EEOC emphasizes that the data is used only as an initial step in enforcement, providing the investigator with background information about the makeup of an organization. The EEOC also uses the data to analyze employment trends for women and minority groups within particular industries, regions, or companies. By employing a statistical assessment of the data, the OFCCP then selects facilities at which the likelihood of systemic discrimination is greatest. The information collected by the EEOC is confidential. Only data that totals the information by industry or area, without revealing any particular employer’s statistics, is made public. That prohibition on disclosure doesn’t apply to the OFCCP, however. How have ethnic, racial cate
