Equal Employment Opportunity

Data Shortcomings Hinder Assessment of Conflicts in the Federal Workplace Gao ID: GGD-99-75 May 4, 1999

Relevant and reliable data on the bases for federal employee discrimination complaints and the specific issues giving rise to these complaints would help decisionmakers and program managers better understand conflict in the federal workplace. These data could also be used to help plan corrective actions and measure the results of interventions. However, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission does not collect such data in a way that would help answer such basic questions as the following: How many persons filed complaints? In how many complaints was each of the bases for discrimination alleged? What were the most often cited issues in employee discrimination complaints and in how many complaints was each of the issues cited? Moreover, the quality of data that the Commission collects from agencies and reports is questionable.

GAO noted that: (1) relevant and reliable data about the bases for federal employee discrimination complaints and the specific issues giving rise to these complaints would help decisionmakers and program managers understand the nature and extent of conflict in the federal workplace; (2) these data could also be used to help plan corrective actions and measure the results of interventions; (3) however, EEOC does not collect and report data about bases and issues in a way that would help answer some fundamental questions about the nature and extent of workplace conflicts, such as: (a) how many individuals filed complaints; (b) in how many complaints each of the bases for discrimination was alleged; and (c) the most frequently cited issues in employees' discrimination complaints and in how many complaints was each of the issues cited; (4) moreover, the reliability of the data that EEOC collects from agencies and reports is questionable; (5) GAO found that agencies reported basis and issue data to EEOC in an inconsistent manner; (6) GAO also found that agencies did not report to EEOC some of the data it requested and reported some other data incorrectly; and (7) in addition, because EEOC did not have procedures that ensured the reliability of the data it collected from agencies, it published some unreliable data in its annual Federal Sector Report on Equal Employment Opportunity Complaints Processing and Appeals.

Recommendations

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