Preparing for EEO Reporting

Summer typically marks that time of year when employers wrap up and finalize the compilation of data collected over the past 12 months for EEO reporting. In recent years, September 30th marked the annual deadline for filing the EEO-1 report, but in September of 2016, the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) announced a revised EEO-1 report, starting in 2017, that would require employers to collect summary pay data in addition to the standard collection of data pertaining to race/ethnicity and sex.

The reason for this change to the data collected and analyzed is to allow the EEOC the opportunity to study and combat pay gaps and discrimination, particularly for women and minorities. The revised EEO-1 report will (ideally) help obtain the information needed to identify pay discrimination.

This update applies to employers with 100 or more employees, and with this new reporting process, the EEOC and the Joint Reporting Committee have given employers more time to aid in this transition, extending the reporting deadline to March 31, 2018. Employers will have a total of 18 months, from September 30, 2016 (the 2016 reporting deadline) through March 31, 2018 (the 2017 reporting deadline) to track data and make this change to their reporting process.

Employers with 50-99 employees will be required to collect data on sex and race/ethnicity (as they had done in the past), and employers with fewer than 50 employees are not required to submit a report. The same reporting deadline of March 31, 2018 applies to all employers required to file.

This mid-point of the year, even with the extension of the reporting deadline, is a great opportunity for employers to review their data collection process and the information they have already collected. Make sure that the data that you’ve been collecting since September of 2016 is accurate and complete, and ensure that your process for collecting information on race/ethnicity, sex, and pay is streamlined and an efficient use of both your and your employees’ time. This mid-year review can help you identify any errors or necessary changes, saving you time in the long run.

HRCentral specializes in assisting employers with establishing processes for collecting data, creating Affirmative Action Plans (AAPs), organizing and compiling information collected, and filing the EEO-1 repand other applicable reports (such as the VETS-4212 report). Contact us today if you have any questions regarding the updated EEO-1 reporting process or for assistance in filing.