Report Shows Federal Government is Keeping Pace
With National Demographic Changes

Overall diversity numbers good, though Hispanic representation lags

Washington, D.C. -- The Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program (FEORP) report issued today by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management shows that the federal government continued to be a leader in providing employment opportunities to minorities during the last year. The total number of minorities went up by 9,490, which is significant in the context of overall workforce growth of 12,310.

While the government's overall diversity numbers are very encouraging, Hispanics remain underrepresented. In response, OPM is actively examining measures to address the disparity.

"This administration recognizes that Hispanics have played an important role in this Nation and it supports the full participation of Hispanics in federal programs and activities," said OPM Director Kay Coles James. "While this year's report shows our commitment to ensure that the federal workforce is diverse, it also shows much work remains to be done. We stand ready to meet this important challenge and will expand our outreach efforts, especially to the Hispanic community, as well as our efforts to ensure that the federal workplace is one that welcomes and thrives in diversity."

Director James has created an Interagency Task Force composed of senior agency officials to address the underrepresentation of Hispanics in their agencies. Director James submitted a report to the President on October 12, 2001, specifying steps OPM will take in this effort, including:

• Provide guidance to agencies to ensure that they are taking full advantage of existing managerial flexibilities and programs (e.g., bilingual and bicultural programs) in order to recruit and retain Hispanics.
  
  
• Ensure the development of clear measurement and accountability guidelines designed to address the President's priorities in providing equal opportunities for Hispanics to enter into the federal workforce.
  
  
• Convene a series of meetings of agency officials designed to identify and address barriers to effective recruitment and utilization of Hispanics.
  
  
• Showcase innovative agency outreach, recruitment, hiring, career development, and retention efforts.
  
  
• Submit semi-annual statistically based agency progress reports to the President depicting Hispanic employment by occupational category and grade.

James also met with leaders of Latino organizations to establish clearer lines of communication that will help the government identify and address barriers to full Hispanic participation in the federal workforce.

The FEORP report also notes that the representation of minorities and women at upper level positions and pay levels has improved. Just a few of the findings show that the percentage of minorities in General Schedule and Related (GSR) grades 13-15 rose from 19.2 percent in 2000 to 19.9 percent in 2001. The percentage of women in GSR grades 13-15 increased from 30.7 percent in 2000 to 31.7 percent in 2001, and the representation of women at Senior Pay levels rose from 24.2 percent in 2000 to 24.3 percent in 2001.

The annual FEORP report to Congress is required by law, and reflects agency statistics on their employment of minorities and women.

OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.