Idaho
Trump Administration Proposes Change to Employer Reporting Requirements
A federal commission voted Tuesday in favor of a Trump administration proposal to rescind requirements that larger employers report the demographics of their workers — information that’s used to help enforce racial and gender antidiscrimination laws. Most employers with 100…
Last updated:
Key points
- The Trump administration proposed to eliminate employer demographics reporting requirements.
- The EEOC argues that such reporting may lead to discrimination against non-minorities.
- Experts warn that states may create their own requirements if federal ones are rescinded.
NewsWK — A federal commission has voted in favor of a proposal from the Trump administration aimed at rescinding the requirement for larger employers to report workforce demographics. This requirement, which has been in place since 1966, mandates that companies with 100 or more employees submit annual data on staff sex, race, and ethnicity to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The proposed rule, submitted earlier this summer, seeks to eliminate these reporting obligations for both private companies and state and local governments. The EEOC argues that such demographic reporting may create an undue emphasis on minorities and women, potentially leading to discrimination against those not classified as such.
The proposal will be published in the Federal Register for a public comment period lasting 30 days, with a public hearing scheduled for August 11. Interested parties must submit requests to testify by August 7. Notably, the commission’s vote to advance this plan was split along party lines, with a tally of 2-1.
Experts suggest that if federal reporting requirements are eliminated, states might introduce their own regulations. Alexandra Garrison Barnett, a labor and employment attorney, stated, “We might see more states imposing those kinds of requirements in the absence of a federal requirement, or we could see states banning or prohibiting employers from collecting demographic information.” Several states already have their own mandates for workplace demographic reporting.
The commission’s decision coincided with Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, marking the duration into the year that Black women must work to earn what white men did the previous year. Valerie Rawlston Wilson, a labor economist, criticized the proposal, asserting that it undermines accountability for employers and hampers enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. She stated, “The enforcement of those laws is facilitated by having consistent reliable data.” According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Black women earn only 64 cents for every dollar earned by white men, with significant gaps in some states, such as Idaho, where the figure drops to 36 cents.
Based on reporting by Nada Hassanein originally published by Stateline. Read the original story.
