Determining Availability: Census EEO Tabulation
OFCCP regulations require covered federal supply and service contractors to prepare and maintain written Affirmative Action Programs (AAPs) designed to ensure equal employment opportunity. One key requirement of an AAP is the determination of the availability of qualified minorities and women for the contractor’s job openings. To determine availability estimates, OFCCP requires contractors to "use the most current and discrete statistical information available to derive availability figures.” 41 CFR 60-2.14(d).
Contractors must use the Census EEO Tabulation to conduct availability analysis. The Census EEO Tabulation was created by the U.S. Census Bureau, in conjunction with OFCCP and other agencies to provide a single resource for data necessary to perform equal opportunity analysis. The Census EEO Tabulation provides statistical data on race, ethnicity, sex and other demographic data that allows for an examination of the labor force in the local area. OFCCP also uses the Census EEO Tabulation to evaluate the effectiveness of AAPs when it reviews contractors.
2006 – 2010 Census EEO Tabulation
In 2012, the U.S. Census Bureau released the 2006–2010 EEO Tabulation (2010 EEO Tab). Currently, contractors must use the 2010 EEO Tab to develop their written AAPs.
Notice for Federal Contractors on Use of the 2010 EEO Tab in the Development of AAPs
Sample AAP showing how contractors can use the EEO Tab data in conducting a utilization analysis
2014 – 2018 Census EEO Tabulation
In March 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau released a series of tables for the 2014-2018 EEO Tabulation on its file transfer protocol (FTP) server. However, additional data tools and documentation are still being developed, including an Application Programming Interface that is projected to be released later this year. Once the 2014-2018 EEO Tabulation site is complete, OFCCP will issue a notice establishing the effective date contractors are required to use the 2014-2018 EEO Tabulation. The notice will give contractors plenty of time to integrate the new data into their AAPs. OFCCP will also provide compliance assistance on the new data tools after the notice is released.
Interim Census Data Interface
While the U.S. Census Bureau works to develop a permanent Application Programming Interface for the 2014-2018 EEO Tabulation, it has provided an interim interface to make the most commonly used Census EEO data tables more accessible to end users.
The interim interface is available for both the 2006-2010 and 2014-2018 EEO Tabulations and includes the two most-accessed tables:
- EEO 1W Occupation by Sex and Race/Ethnicity for Worksite Geography; and
- EEO 1R Occupation by Sex and Race/Ethnicity for Residence Geography
The data is accessed by table and geography selection, which includes National, State, County (EEO 1W only), County Sets (EEO 1R only), and Metropolitan/Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s).
OFCCP encourages contractors to familiarize themselves with the new 2014-2018 data set in the interim interface.
Currently, the full set of tables from 2006-2010 is only available as downloadable CSV files on Census FTP site: 2006-2010 EEO Tables.
Last updated on May 27, 2023