Advocates and Employers Push Back Against EEOC Proposal to End EEO-1 Workforce Data Collection

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 11, 2026

A public EEOC hearing drew 22 speakers — mostly opposed — to the agency's Republican-led 2-1 vote to discontinue the EEO-1 annual workforce demographic report, a requirement in place since 1966 for companies with 100+ employees and federal contractors with 50+ workers. Civil rights groups argue the data is essential for detecting systemic discrimination, while two major employer associations said their members actively use the reports for internal compliance monitoring and have seen no evidence of its misuse for discriminatory purposes. The comment period closes August 24, marking a significant step in the Trump administration's rollback of civil rights enforcement infrastructure. Staffing firms and their clients — especially federal contractors — should monitor this closely, as elimination of EEO-1 reporting would alter longstanding compliance obligations.