The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Hispanic Work Group has issued a report to EEOC chair Naomi Earp recommending that EEO/diversity requirements be included in all hiring officials’ critical performance elements.
The report found that while the Hispanic population has grown by 50 percent since 1990, Hispanic employment rates have not.
It said Hispanic participation in the federal workforce has increased marginally from 6.4 percent in 1997 to 7.79 percent in 2007 and that Hispanics are hired into occupational niches in the federal sector disproportionately.
For example, the report said that in fiscal 2007 new Hispanic hires into top professional occupations were 3.7 percent and into top administrative positions were 5.7 percent.
Overall, the percentage of new Hispanic hires into professional and administrative positions decreased from 5.2 in fiscal 2006 to 4.8 percent in fiscal 2007.
"I’ve identified a significant number of short- and long-term recommendations in the report for achievement, and I’ve asked that the Office of Federal Operations take the lead in our implementation efforts," said Earp, adding, "These actions are long overdue and will help agencies remove barriers and create greater opportunities for Hispanic applicants and employees throughout the federal government."
Additional recommendations include:
* Establish a consortium of federal agencies whose mission-critical occupations include science, technology, engineering and mathematics to coordinate recruitment efforts;
* Develop a Hispanic media outreach strategy and branding tool to assist agencies in marketing various types of federal employment;
* Better utilize intern programs;
* Create a government-wide mentoring program; and
* Create full-time Hispanic employment program managers.