Minority Representation Increases Slightly

The percentage of minorities in the federal workforce increased slightly in fiscal 2005 over fiscal 2004 from 31.5 to 31.8 percent, continuing a pattern of minorities being better represented, in general, than in the overall labor force, which is 27.4 percent minority. Blacks constitute 17.4 percent of the federal workforce versus 10.1 percent of the overall workforce, and the federal government also has slightly higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islanders, 5.0 to 4.1 percent, and Native Americans, 1.9 to 0.6 percent. However, the under-representation of Hispanics in the federal workforce continues, at 7.4 percent versus 12.8 percent overall. Women also are under-represented in the federal workforce versus the workforce as a whole, 43.9 percent versus 45.6 percent.