Affirmative Action Plans - Census 2000

As part of developing an affirmative action plan, contractors must determine the availability of qualified minorities or women for employment in particular job groups. To determine availability estimates, the regulations require that contractors "use the most current and discrete statistical information available." 41 CFR 60-2.14 (d). The regulations also provide that "[e]xamples of such information include census data, data from local job service offices, and data from colleges or other training institutions." The Census 2000 Special EEO File data is one example of an appropriate source of statistical information. The Census 2000 Special EEO File is available under the by contacting Career Resources, Inc. at info@crincorporated.com.

In a Notice posted on the agency web site shortly after the release of Census 2000 Special EEO File, the OFCCP advised contractors that, beginning with Affirmative Action Plan years that commence on or after January 1, 2005, the Census 2000 Special EEO File would be used to assess the reasonableness of the contractor's availability determinations. They have encouraged contractors that use census data to determine availability estimates to use data from the Census 2000 Special EEO file to complete their Affirmative Action Plans for 2005.

We’re often asked if a contractor should use the various racial and ethnic categories found in the Census 2000 Special EEO Data file for record keeping.

This is not necessary, rather for record keeping and reporting required under the Executive Order regulations, contractors should continue to use the following categories until notified otherwise:

Whites;
Blacks;
Hispanics;
Asian/Pacific Islanders; and
American Indians/Alaskan Natives.

The racial and ethnic categories used for record keeping and reporting required under the Executive Order regulations are consistent with the categories found on the existing EEO-1 Report.

EEOC has proposed changes to the racial and ethnic categories on the EEO-1 Report in light of the Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity issued by the Office of Management and Budget, (62 FR 58782, October 30, 1997), and has published the initial notice required under the Paperwork Reduction Act. (See 68 FR 34965, June 11, 2003). OFCCP intends to coordinate its requirements for collecting and reporting data on race and ethnicity with the changes made to the EEO-1 Report.