Glossary of EEO/AA Terms

Adverse Impact top ^
see Disparate Impact

Affirmative Action (AA) top ^
Actions, policies, and procedures to which a contractor commits itself that are designed to achieve equal employment opportunity. The affirmative action obligation entails: (1) thorough, systematic efforts to prevent discrimination from occurring or to detect it and eliminate it as promptly as possible, and (2) recruitment and outreach measures. See Manual Section 2A02(b). - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Affirmative Action Plan top ^
see Affirmative Action Program

Affirmative Action Program (AAP) top ^
An affirmative action program is a management tool designed to ensure equal employment opportunity. A central premise underlying affirmative action is that, absent discrimination, over time a contractor's workforce, generally, will reflect the gender, racial and ethnic profile of the labor pools from which the contractor recruits and selects. Affirmative action programs contain a diagnostic component which includes a number of quantitative analyses designed to evaluate the composition of the workforce of the contractor and compare it to the composition of the relevant labor pools. Affirmative action programs also include action-oriented programs. If women and minorities are not being employed at a rate to be expected given their availability in the relevant labor pool, the contractor's affirmative action program includes specific practical steps designed to address this underutilization. Effective affirmative action programs also include internal auditing and reporting systems as a means of measuring the contractor's progress toward achieving the workforce that would be expected in the absence of discrimination.
     An affirmative action program also ensures equal employment opportunity by institutionalizing the contractor's commitment to equality in every aspect of the employment process. Therefore, as part of its affirmative action program, a contractor monitors and examines its employment decisions and compensation systems to evaluate the impact of those systems on women and minorities.
     An affirmative action program is, thus, more than a paperwork exercise. An affirmative action program includes those policies, practices, and procedures that the contractor implements to ensure that all qualified applicants and employees are receiving an equal opportunity for recruitment, selection, advancement, and every other term and privilege associated with employment. Affirmative action, ideally, is a part of the way the contractor regularly conducts its business. OFCCP has found that when an affirmative action program is approached from this perspective, as a powerful management tool, there is a positive correlation between the presence of affirmative action and the absence of discrimination. - 41 CFR § 60-2.10

A written program, meeting the requirements of 41 CFR Part 60-2, 60-250.5 or 60-741.5, in which a contractor annually details the steps it will take and has already taken, to ensure equal employment opportunity. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Applicant top ^
The precise definition of the term "applicant" depends upon the user's recruitment and selection procedures. The concept of an applicant is that of a person who has indicated an interest in being considered for hiring, promotion, or other employment opportunities. This interest might be expressed by completing an application form, or might be expressed orally, depending upon the employer's practice.
...

A person who voluntarily withdraws formally or informally at any stage of the selection process is no longer an applicant or candidate for purposes of computing adverse impact. Employment standards imposed by the user which discourage disproportionately applicants of a race, sex or ethnic group may, however, require justification. Records should be kept for persons who were applicants or candidates at any stage of the process. - Uniform Employee Selection Guidelines Interpretation and Clarification

Refer also to Internet Applicant

Availability top ^
The availability of minorities or women for a job group means the percentage that minorities or women are among persons in the relevant labor area and/or internal feeder pools having the requisite qualifications to perform the positions included in the job group. The term is broad enough to include any factor that is in fact relevant to determining the availability of individuals for the jobs in the job group. Availability figures are used in determining whether to find underutilization, and, where a goal is established, in determining the level of the goal.
     In determining availability for a job group, a contractor must consider at least each of the factors specified in 41 CFR 2.11(b). However, a contractor need not actually use each of these factors in reaching its availability estimate. Only the factors that are relevant to the particular job group should be used. For example, availability for jobs in a job group filled by promotion from within, or requiring specialized skills, would not be based on general area population, workforce, or unemployment factors. In addition to the factors specified in 41 CFR 2.11(b), a contractor may consider any other relevant factor in determining availability. See Manual Section 2G05. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Availability is an estimate of the number of qualified minorities or women available for employment in a given job group, expressed as a percentage of all qualified persons available for employment in the job group. The purpose of the availability determination is to establish a benchmark against which the demographic composition of the contractor's incumbent workforce can be compared in order to determine whether barriers to equal employment opportunity may exist within particular job groups. - 41 CFR § 60-2.14

Compliance Evaluation top ^
Compliance evaluation means any one or combination of actions OFCCP may take to examine a Federal contractor or subcontractor's compliance with one or more of the requirements of Executive Order 11246. - 41 CFR § 60-1.3

Conciliation Agreement (CA) top ^
A binding written agreement between a contractor and OFCCP that details specific contractor commitments to resolve the alleged violations set forth in the agreement. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Contractor top ^
Contractor means, unless otherwise indicated, a prime contractor or subcontractor. - 41 CFR § 60-1.3

A contractor as described below, is:
(a) Prime contractor. Any person holding, and for enforcement purposes any person who has held, a contract subject to the Executive Order, Section 503 or 38 U.S.C. §4212.
(b) Subcontractor. Any person holding, and for enforcement purposes any person who has held, a subcontract subject to the Executive Order, Section 503 or 38 U.S.C. §4212. See definition of "Subcontract."
(c) First-tier subcontractor. A subcontractor holding a subcontract with a prime contractor. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Disabled Veteran top ^
Disabled veteran means:
(1) A veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or
(2) A person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability. - Federal Register Final Rule

Disparate Impact top ^
A theory or category of employment discrimination. Disparate impact discrimination may be found when a contractor's use of a facially neutral selection standard (e.g., a test, an interview, a degree requirement) disqualifies members of a particular race or gender group at a significantly higher rate than others and is not justified by business necessity or job relatedness. An intent to discriminate is not necessary to this type of employment discrimination. The disparate impact theory may be used to analyze both objective and subjective selection standards. Same concept as adverse impact. See definition of adverse impact. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

(Adverse Impact) A substantially different rate of selection in hiring, promotion, transfer, training, or other employment related decisions for any race, sex, or ethnic group. A finding of adverse impact by itself, does not establish a violation device in question based on job relatedness or business necessity. See definition of disparate impact. See also Chapter 7 of this manual. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

(Adverse Impact) A substantially different rate of selection in hiring, promotion, or other employment decision which works to the disadvantage of members of a race, sex, or ethnic group. See section 4 of these guidelines. - 41 CFR § 60-1.3

Disparate Treatment top ^
A theory or category of employment discrimination. Disparate treatment discrimination may be found when a contractor treats an individual or group differently because of its race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap or veteran status. An intent to discriminate is a necessary element in this type of employment discrimination, and may be shown by direct evidence or inferentially by statistical, anecdotal and/or comparative evidence. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

EEO-1 Report top ^
The Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Information Report (EEO-1): An annual report filed with the Joint Reporting Committee (composed of OFCCP and EEOC) by certain employers subject to the Executive Order or to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. This report details the sex and race/ethnic composition of an employer's work force by job category. (Also termed Standard Form 100.) - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Employee top ^
A person employed by a Federal contractor, subcontractor or Federally assisted construction contractor or subcontractor. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

(Employed) Under criteria established by the Bureau of the Census and the U.S. Department of Commerce, all civilians 16 years old and over who were either:
(a) "at work," meaning those who did any work at all during the reference week as paid employees or in their business or profession, or on their farm, or who worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers on a family farm or in a family business; or
(b) "with a job but not at work," meaning those who did not work during the reference week but had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent due to illness, bad weather, industrial dispute, vacation, or other personal reasons.
Generally excluded from the category of employed are persons whose only activity consisted of unpaid work around the house or volunteer work for religious, charitable, and similar organizations, or persons on layoff. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

"Employee" means any individual on the payroll of an employer who is an employee for purposes of the employers withholding of Social Security taxes except insurance sales agents who are considered to be employees for such purposes solely because of the provisions of 26 USC 3121 (d) (3) (B) (the Internal Revenue Code). Leased employees are included in this definition. Leased Employee means a permanent employee provided by an employment agency for a fee to an outside company for which the employment agency handles all personnel tasks including payroll, staffing, benefit payments and compliance reporting. The employment agency shall, therefore, include leased employees in its EEO-1 report. The term employee SHALL NOT include persons who are hired on a casual basis for a specified time, or for the duration of a specified job (for example, persons at a construction site whose employment relationship is expected to terminate with the end of the employees work at the site); persons temporarily employed in any industry other than construction, such as temporary office workers, mariners, stevedores, lumber yard workers, etc., who are hired through a hiring hall or other referral arrangement, through an employee contractor or agent, or by some individual hiring arrangement, or persons (EXCEPT leased employees) on the payroll of an employment agency who are referred by such agency for work to be performed on the premises of another employer under that employers direction and control. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Employer top ^
Any employer subject to the provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, including State or local governments and any Federal agency subject to the provisions of section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and any Federal contractor or subcontractor or federally assisted construction contractor or subcontactor covered by Executive Order 11246, as amended. - 41 CFR § 60-3.16

"Employer" under Section 701(b), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, means a person engaged in an industry affecting commerce who has fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year, and any agent of such a person, but such term does not include the United States, a corporation wholly owned by the government of the United States, an Indian tribe, or any department or agency of the District of Columbia subject by statute to procedures of the competitive service (as defined in section 2102 of Title 5 of the United States Code), or a bona fide private membership club (other than a labor organization) which is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; OR any person or entity subject to Executive Order 11246 who is a federal government prime contractor or subcontractor at any tier (including a bank or other establishment serving as a depository of federal government funds, or an issuing and paying agent of U.S. Savings Bonds and Notes, or a holder of a federal government bill of lading) or a federally-assisted construction prime contractor or subcontractor at any tier. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) top ^
The EEOC was established by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and began operating on July 2, 1965. The EEOC enforces the following federal statutes:
     Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin;
     the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, as amended, prohibiting employment discrimination against individuals 40 years of age and older;
     the Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender in compensation for substantially similar work under similar conditions;
     Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of disability in the private sector and state and local governments;
     Section 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibiting employment discrimination against federal employees with disabilities; and,
     the Civil Rights Act of 1991 providing monetary damages in cases of intentional discrimination and clarifying provisions regarding disparate impact actions. - EEOC web site

Establishment top ^
A facility or unit which produces goods or services, such as a factory, office, store, or mine. In most instances, the unit is a physically separate facility at a single location. In appropriate circumstances, OFCCP may consider as an establishment several facilities located at two or more sites when the facilities are in the same labor market or recruiting area. The determination as to whether it is appropriate to group facilities as a single establishment will be made by OFCCP on a case-by-case basis. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

"Establishment" is an economic unit which produces goods or services, such as a factory, office, store, or mine. In most instances, the establishment is at a single physical location and is engaged in one, or predominantly one, type of economic activity. (definition adapted from the North American Industry Classification System, 2002).
     Units at different physical locations, even though engaged in the same kind of business operation, must be reported as separate establishments. For locations involving construction, transportation, communications, electric, gas, and sanitary services, oil and gas fields, and similar types of physically dispersed industrial activities, however, it is not necessary to list separately each individual site, project, field, line, etc., unless it is treated by you as a separate legal entity. For these types of activities, list as establishments only those relatively permanent main or branch offices, terminals, stations etc., which are either: (a) directly responsible for supervising such dispersed activities; or (b) the base from which personnel and equipment operate to carry out these activities. (Where these dispersed activities cross State lines, at least one such establishment should be listed for each State involved.) - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Ethnicity top ^
see Race/Ethnicity

Executive Order 11246 top ^
...the aims of parts II, III, and IV of Executive Order 11246 [are] for the promotion and insuring of equal opportunity for all persons, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, employed or seeking employment with Government contractors or with contractors performing under federally assisted construction contracts. - 41 CFR § 60-1.1

Good Faith Effort top ^
This term refers to a contractor's efforts to make all aspects of its affirmative action plan work. Designing and implementing an effective affirmative action plan requires sustained attention. The contractor must analyze its employment and recruitment practices as they affect equal opportunity, identify problem areas, design and implement measures to address the problems, and monitor the effectiveness of its program, making adjustments as circumstances warrant. In evaluating the contractor's good faith efforts, the Compliance Officer (CO) must make a careful assessment of the quality and thoroughness of the contractor's work to implement its program and assure equal opportunity. The basic components of good faith efforts are:
(a) Outreach and recruitment measures to broaden candidate pools from which selection decisions are made to include minorities and women, and
(b) Systematic efforts to assure that selections thereafter are made without regard to race, sex, or other prohibited factors. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Impact Ratio Analysis (IRA) top ^
The Impact Ratio Analysis (IRA) is a comparison of the selection rates of different groups from an identified candidate pool. If the selection rate for one group is less than 80% of that for another, the IRA is considered adverse. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Individual with a Disability top ^
Individual with a disability means any person who:
Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities;
Has a record of such an impairment; or
Is regarded as having such an impairment.
See § 60-741.3 for exceptions to the definition in paragraph (n)(1) of this section. - 41 CFR § 60-741.2

Any person who:
(a) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities;
(b) has a record of such an impairment; or
(c) is regarded as having such an impairment.
This definition does not include an individual currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when the contractor acts on the basis of such use. This definition does not include an individual who is an alcoholic whose current abuse of alcohol prevents such individual from performing the duties of the job in question, or whose employment, by reason of such current alcohol abuse, would constitute a direct threat to property or safety of others.
The term "individual with handicaps" is used interchangeably with "individual with a disability" and "handicapped individual." - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Internet Applicant top ^
(1) Internet Applicant means any individual as to whom the following four criteria are satisfied:
(i) The individual submits an expression of interest in employment through the Internet or related electronic data technologies;
(ii) The contractor considers the individual for employment in a particular position;
(iii) The individual's expression of interest indicates the individual possesses the basic qualifications for the position; and,
(iv) The individual at no point in the contractor's selection process prior to receiving an offer of employment from the contractor, removes himself or herself from further consideration or otherwise indicates that he or she is no longer interested in the position.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (1)(i) of this definition, "submits an expression of interest in employment through the Internet or related electronic data technologies," includes all expressions of interest, regardless of the means or manner in which the expression of interest is made, if the contractor considers expressions of interest made through the Internet or related electronic data technologies in the recruiting or selection processes for that particular position.
(i) Example A: Contractor A posts on its web site an opening for a Mechanical Engineer position and encourages potential applicants to complete an on-line profile if they are interested in being considered for that position. The web site also advises potential applicants that they can send a hard copy resume to the HR Manager with a cover letter identifying the position for which they would like to be considered. Because Contractor A considers both Internet and traditional expressions of interest for the Mechanical Engineer position, both the individuals who completed a personal profile and those who sent a paper resume and cover letter to Contractor A meet this part of the definition of Internet Applicant for this position.
(ii) Example B: Contractor B posts on its web site an opening for the Accountant II position and encourages potential applicants to complete an on-line profile if they are interested in being considered for that position. Contractor B also receives a large number of unsolicited paper resumes in the mail each year. Contractor B scans these paper resumes into an internal resume database that also includes all the on-line profiles that individuals completed for various jobs (including possibly for the Accountant II position) throughout the year. To find potential applicants for the Accountant II position, Contractor B searches the internal resume database for individuals who have the basic qualifications for the Accountant II position. Because Contractor B considers both Internet and traditional expressions of interest for the Accountant II position, both the individuals who completed a personal profile and those who sent a paper resume and cover letter to the employer meet this part of the definition of Internet Applicant for this position.
(iii) Example C: Contractor C advertises for Mechanics in a local newspaper and instructs interested candidates to mail their resumes to the employer's address. Walk-in applications also are permitted. Contractor C considers only paper resumes and application forms for the Mechanic position, therefore no individual meets this part of the definition of an Internet Applicant for this position.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition, "considers the individual for employment in a particular position," means that the contractor assesses the substantive information provided in the expression of interest with respect to any qualifications involved with a particular position. A contractor may establish a protocol under which it refrains from considering expressions of interest that are not submitted in accordance with standard procedures the contractor establishes. Likewise, a contractor may establish a protocol under which it refrains from considering expressions of interest, such as unsolicited resumes, that are not submitted with respect to a particular position. If there are a large number of expressions of interest, the contractor does not "consider the individual for employment in a particular position" by using data management techniques that do not depend on assessment of qualifications, such as random sampling or absolute numerical limits, to reduce the number of expressions of interest to be considered, provided that the sample is appropriate in terms of the pool of those submitting expressions of interest.

(4) For purposes of paragraph (1)(iii) of this definition, "basic qualifications" means qualifications—
(i)(A) That the contractor advertises (e.g., posts on its web site a description of the job and the qualifications involved) to potential applicants that they must possess in order to be considered for the position, or (B) For which the contractor establishes criteria in advance by making and maintaining a record of such qualifications for the position prior to considering any expression of interest for that particular position if the contractor does not advertise for the position but instead uses an alternative device to find individuals for consideration (e.g., through an external resume database), and
(ii) That meet all of the following three conditions: (A) The qualifications must be noncomparative features of a job seeker. For example, a qualification of three years' experience in a particular position is a noncomparative qualification; a qualification that an individual have one of the top five number of years' experience among a pool of job seekers is a comparative qualification. (B) The qualifications must be objective; they do not depend on the contractor’s subjective judgment. For example, "a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting"is objective, while "a technical degree from a good school" is not. A basic qualification is objective if a third-party, with the contractor's technical knowledge, would be able to evaluate whether the job seeker possesses the qualification without more information about the contractor's judgment. (C) The qualifications must be relevant to performance of the particular position and enable the contractor to accomplish business-related goals.

(5) For purposes of paragraph (1)(iv) of this definition, a contractor may conclude that an individual has removed himself or herself from further consideration, or has otherwise indicated that he or she is no longer interested in the position for which the contractor has considered the individual, based on the individual's express statement that he or she is no longer interested in the position, or on the individual's passive demonstration of disinterest shown through repeated non-responsiveness to inquiries from the contractor about interest in the position. A contractor also may determine that an individual has removed himself or herself from further consideration or otherwise indicated that he or she is no longer interested in the position for which the contractor has considered the individual based on information the individual provided in the expression of interest, such as salary requirements or preferences as to type of work or location of work, provided that the contractor has a uniformly and consistently applied policy or procedure of not considering similarly situated job seekers. If a large number of individuals meet the basic qualifications for the position, a contractor may also use data management techniques, such as random sampling or absolute numerical limits, to limit the number of individuals who must be contacted to determine their interest in the position, provided that the sample is appropriate in terms of the pool of those meeting the basic qualifications.- 41 CFR § 60-1.3 (Effective February 6, 2006)

Job Category top ^
The major job categories are listed below, including a brief description of the skills and training required for occupations in that category and examples of the job titles that fit each category. The examples shown below are illustrative and not intended to be exhaustive of all job titles in a job category. These job categories are primarily based on the average skill level, knowledge, and responsibility involved in each occupation within the job category.
     The Officials and Managers category as a whole is to be divided into the following two subcategories: Executive/Senior Level Officials and Managers and First/Mid Level Officials and Managers. These subcategories are intended to mirror the employers own well established hierarchy of management positions. Small employers who may not have two well-defined hierarchical steps of management should report their management employees in the appropriate categories.

Executive/Senior Level Officials and Managers. Individuals who plan, direct and formulate policies, set strategy and provide the overall direction of enterprises/organizations for the development and delivery of products or services, within the parameters approved by boards of directors or other governing bodies. Residing in the highest levels of organizations, these executives plan, direct or coordinate activities with the support of subordinate executives and staff managers. They include, in larger organizations, those individuals within two reporting levels of the CEO, whose responsibilities require frequent interaction with the CEO. Examples of these kinds of managers are: chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief financial officers, line of business heads, presidents or executive vice presidents of functional areas or operating groups, chief information officers, chief human resources officers, chief marketing officers, chief legal officers, management directors and managing partners.

First/Mid Level Officials and Managers. Individuals who serve as managers, other than those who serve as Executive/Senior Level Officials and Managers, including those who oversee and direct the delivery of products, services or functions at group, regional or divisional levels of organizations. These managers receive directions from the Executive/Senior Level management and typically lead major business units. They implement policies, programs and directives of executive/senior management through subordinate managers and within the parameters set by Executive/Senior Level management. Examples of these kinds of managers are: vice presidents and directors, group, regional or divisional controllers; treasurers; human resources, information systems, marketing, and operations managers. The First/Mid Level Officials and Managers subcategory also includes those who report directly to middle managers. These individuals serve at functional, line of business segment or branch levels and are responsible for directing and executing the day-to-day operational objectives of enterprises/organizations, conveying the directions of higher level officials and managers to subordinate personnel and, in some instances, directly supervising the activities of exempt and non-exempt personnel. Examples of these kinds of managers are: first-line managers; team managers; unit managers; operations and production mangers; branch managers; administrative services managers; purchasing and transportation managers; storage and distribution managers; call center or customer service managers; technical support managers; and brand or product mangers.

Professionals. Most jobs in this category require bachelor and graduate degrees, and/or professional certification. In some instances, comparable experience may establish a persons qualifications. Examples of these kinds of positions include: accountants and auditors; airplane pilots and flight engineers; architects; artists; chemists; computer programmers; designers; dieticians; editors; engineers; lawyers; librarians; mathematical scientists; natural scientists; registered nurses; physical scientists; physicians and surgeons; social scientists; teachers; and surveyors.

Technicians. Jobs in this category include activities that require applied scientific skills, usually obtained by post secondary education of varying lengths, depending on the particular occupation, recognizing that in some instances additional training, certification, or comparable experience is required. Examples of these types of positions include: drafters; emergency medical technicians; chemical technicians; and broadcast and sound engineering technicians.

Sales Workers. These jobs include non-managerial activities that wholly and primarily involve direct sales. Examples of these types of positions include: advertising sales agents; insurance sales agents; real estate brokers and sales agents; wholesale sales representatives; securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents; telemarketers; demonstrators; retail salespersons; counter and rental clerks; and cashiers.

Administrative Support Workers. These jobs involve non-managerial tasks providing administrative and support assistance, primarily in office settings. Examples of these types of positions include: office and administrative support workers; bookkeeping; accounting and auditing clerks; cargo and freight agents; dispatchers; couriers; data entry keyers; computer operators; shipping, receiving and traffic clerks; word processors and typists; proofreaders; desktop publishers; and general office clerks.

Craft Workers(formerly Craft Workers (Skilled)). Most jobs in this category includes higher skilled occupations in construction (building trades craft workers and their formal apprentices) and natural resource extraction workers. Examples of these types of positions include: boilermakers; brick and stone masons; carpenters; electricians; painters (both construction and maintenance); glaziers; pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters; plasterers; roofers; elevator installers; earth drillers; derrick operators; oil and gas rotary drill operators; and blasters and explosive workers. This category also includes occupations related to the installation, maintenance and part replacement of equipment, machines and tools, such as: automotive mechanics; aircraft mechanics; and electric and electronic equipment repairers. This category also includes some production occupations that are distinguished by the high degree of skill and precision required to perform them, based on clearly defined task specifications, such as: millwrights; etchers and engravers; tool and die makers; and pattern makers.

Operatives (formerly Operatives (Semi-skilled)). Most jobs in this category include intermediate skilled occupations and include workers who operate machines or factory-related processing equipment. Most of these occupations do not usually require more than several months of training. Examples include: textile machine workers; laundry and dry cleaning workers; photographic process workers; weaving machine operators; electrical and electronic equipment assemblers; semiconductor processors; testers, graders and sorters; bakers; and butchers and other meat, poultry and fish processing workers. This category also includes occupations of generally intermediate skill levels that are concerned with operating and controlling equipment to facilitate the movement of people or materials, such as: bridge and lock tenders; truck, bus or taxi drivers; industrial truck and tractor (forklift) operators; parking lot attendants; sailors; conveyor operators; and hand packers and packagers.

Laborers and Helpers(formerly Laborers (Unskilled)). Jobs in this category include workers with more limited skills who require only brief training to perform tasks that require little or no independent judgment. Examples include: production and construction worker helpers; vehicle and equipment cleaners; laborers; freight, stock and material movers; service station attendants; construction laborers; refuse and recyclable materials collectors; septic tank servicers; and sewer pipe cleaners.

Service Workers. Jobs in this category include food service, cleaning service, personal service, and protective service activities. Skill may be acquired through formal training, job-related training or direct experience. Examples of food service positions include: cooks; bartenders; and other food service workers. Examples of personal service positions include: medical assistants and other healthcare support positions; hairdressers; ushers; and transportation attendants. Examples of cleaning service positions include: cleaners; janitors; and porters. Examples of protective service positions include: transit and railroad police and fire fighters; guards; private detectives and investigators. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Job Group top ^
One or a group of jobs having similar content, wage rates and opportunities. See 41 CFR § 60-2.11 (b). - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

In the job group analysis, jobs at the establishment with similar content, wage rates, and opportunities, must be combined to form job groups. Similarity of content refers to the duties and responsibilities of the job titles which make up the job group. Similarity of opportunities refers to training, transfers, promotions, pay, mobility, and other career enhancement opportunities offered by the jobs within the job group. - 41 CFR § 60-2.12

Job Group Analysis top ^
A job group analysis is a method of combining job titles within the contractor's establishment. This is the first step in the contractor's comparison of the representation of minorities and women in its workforce with the estimated availability of minorities and women qualified to be employed. - 41 CFR § 60-2.12

Jobs for Veterans Act top ^
The Jobs for Veterans Act (``JVA''), (Pub. L. 107-288, 116 Stat. 2033), was signed by the President on November 2, 2002. Section 2(b)(1) of the JVA amended the affirmative action provisions of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, 38 U.S.C. 4212, (``VEVRAA''). Section 2(b)(3) of the JVA made the amendments applicable to Government contracts entered into on or after December 1, 2003. - Federal Register Final Rule

Joint Reporting Committee (JRC) top ^
"Joint Reporting Committee" is the committee representing the [Equal Employment Opportunity] Commission and OFCCP for the purpose of administering this [EEO-1 Report] report system. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Line of Progression top ^
A series of related jobs in a promotional sequence generally starting with less difficult, lower paying jobs and progressing to more difficult, higher paying jobs. Often, the lower jobs provide required training for movement to the higher-level jobs. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Minorities top ^
Men and women of those minority groups for whom EEO-1 reporting is required; i.e., Black, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaskan Native. As used in this Manual, the term may mean these groups in the aggregate or an individual group. See EEO-1 for further explanation. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) top ^
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) has replaced the US Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. NAICS will reshape the way we view our changing economy. NAICS was developed jointly by the US, Canada, and Mexico to provide new comparability in statistics about business activity across North America. - US Census Bureau web site

Notice of Violation (NOV) top ^
A letter from OFCCP notifying the contractor that the agency has found violations of the Executive Order, Section 503 and/or 38 U.S.C. §4212 during a compliance review, and the remedies that are required to resolve those violations. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) top ^
"OFCCP" refers to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, US Department of Labor, established to implement Executive Order 11246, as amended. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) top ^
OMB's predominant mission is to assist the President in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and to supervise its administration in Executive Branch agencies. In helping to formulate the President's spending plans, OMB evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures, assesses competing funding demands among agencies, and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules, testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with the President's Budget and with Administration policies. - OMB web site

Organizational Profile top ^
An organizational profile is a depiction of the staffing pattern within an establishment. It is one method contractors use to determine whether barriers to equal employment opportunity exist in their organizations. The profile provides an overview of the workforce at the establishment that may assist in identifying organizational units where women or minorities are underrepresented or concentrated. The contractor must use either the organizational display or the workforce analysis as its organizational profile. - 41 CFR § 60-2.11

Placement Goal top ^
Placement goals serve as objectives or targets reasonably attainable by means of applying every good faith effort to make all aspects of the entire affirmative action program work. Placement goals also are used to measure progress toward achieving
equal employment opportunity.

...In establishing placement goals, the following principles also apply:
(1) Placement goals may not be rigid and inflexible quotas, which must be met, nor are they to be considered as either a ceiling or a floor for the employment of particular groups. Quotas are expressly forbidden.
(2) In all employment decisions, the contractor must make selections in a nondiscriminatory manner. Placement goals do not provide the contractor with a justification to extend a preference to any individual, select an individual, or adversely affect an individual’s employment status, on the basis of that person’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
(3) Placement goals do not create setasides for specific groups, nor are they intended to achieve proportional representation or equal results.
(4) Placement goals may not be used to supersede merit selection principles. Affirmative action programs prescribed by the regulations in this part do not require a contractor to hire a person who lacks qualifications to perform the job successfully, or hire a less qualified person in preference to a more qualified one. - 41 CFR § 60-2.16

Promotion top ^
Any personnel action resulting in movement to a position affording higher pay and/or greater rank, and/or requiring greater skill or responsibility, or the opportunity to attain such. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Quota top ^
A quota system, applied in the employment context, would impose a fixed number or percentage which must be attained, or which cannot be exceeded; the crucial consideration would be whether the mandatory numbers of persons have been hired or promoted. Under such a quota system, that number would be fixed to reflect the population in the area, or some other numerical base, regardless of the number of potential applicants who meet necessary qualifications. If the employer failed, he would be subject to sanction. It would be no defense that the quota may have been unrealistic to start with, that he had insufficient vacancies, or that there were not enough qualified applicants, although he tried in good faith to obtain them through appropriate recruitment methods.

Any system which requires that consideration of relative abilities and qualifications be subordinated to consideration of race, religion, sex or national origin in determining who is to be hired, promoted, etc., in order to achieve a certain numerical position has the attributes of a quota system which is deemed to be impermissible under the standards set forth herein.

A goal, on the other hand, is a numerical objective, fixed realistically in terms of the number of vacancies expected, and the number of qualified applicants available in the relevant job market. Thus, if through no fault of the employer, he has fewer vacancies than expected, he is not subject to sanction, because he is not expected to displace existing employees or to hire unneeded employees to meet his goal. Similarly, if he has demonstrated every good faith effort to include persons from the group which was the object of discrimination into the group being considered for selection, but has been unable to do so in sufficient numbers to meet his goal, he is not subject to sanction. 2 CCH Employment Practices Guide, [[ page 4 line 38 unreadable ]] 3775, at p. 2096. - OFCCP v. National Bank of Commerce of San Antonio

Race/Ethnicity top ^
Race and ethnic designations as used by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. Definitions of the race and ethnicity categories are as follows:
     Hispanic or Latino - A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.
     White (Not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
     Black or African American (Not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
     Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (Not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
     Asian (Not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
     American Indian or Alaska Native (Not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.
     Two or More Races (Not Hispanic or Latino) - All persons who identify with more than one of the above five races. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

The concept of race as used by the Census Bureau reflects self-identification by people according to the race or races with which they most closely identify. These categories are sociopolitical constructs and should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature. Furthermore, the race categories include both racial and national-origin groups.
     The racial classifications used by the Census Bureau adhere to the October 30,1997, Federal Register Notice entitled,"Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity" issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
     White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as "White" or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish.
     Black or African American. A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as "Black, African Am., or Negro," or provide written entries such as African American, Afro American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian.
     American Indian and Alaska Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.
     Asian. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. It includes "Asian Indian," "Chinese," "Filipino," "Korean," "Japanese," "Vietnamese," and "Other Asian."
     Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. It includes people who indicate their race as "Native Hawaiian," "Guamanian or Chamorro," "Samoan," and "Other Pacific Islander."
     Some other race. Includes all other responses not included in the "White", "Black or African American", "American Indian and Alaska Native", "Asian" and "Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander" race categories described above. Respondents providing write-in entries such as multiracial, mixed, interracial, Wesort, or a Hispanic/Latino group (for example, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban) in the "Some other race" category are included here.
     Two or more races. People may have chosen to provide two or more races either by checking two or more race response check boxes, by providing multiple write-in responses, or by some combination of check boxes and write-in responses.
Comparability. The data on race in Census 2000 are not directly comparable to those collected in previous censuses.
     The concept of race is separate from the concept of Hispanic origin. Percentages for the various race categories add to 100 percent, and should not be combined with the percent Hispanic. Tallies that show race categories for Hispanics and nonHispanics separately are also available.
Scope and Methodology:
The data on race were derived from answers to the question on race that was asked of all people in Census 2000. - US Census Bureau web site

In general, the Census Bureau defines ethnicity or origin as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person 's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People who identify their origin as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino may be of any race.
     According to the revised Office of Management and Budget standards noted above, race is considered a separate concept from Hispanic origin (ethnicity) and, wherever possible, separate questions should be asked on each concept. - US Census Bureau web site

Reasonable Recruitment Area top ^
The reasonable recruitment area is defined as the geographical area from which the contractor usually seeks or reasonably could seek workers to fill the positions in question. - 41 CFR § 60-2.14

The area from which the contractor usually seeks or reasonably could seek workers for a particular job group. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 top ^
[S]ection 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 793)... requires Government contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities. - 41 CFR § 60-741.1

Similarly Situated Employee Grouping (SSEG) top ^
Employees may be placed into the same SSEG if they are ``similarly situated'; that is, if they perform similar work and occupy positions which are similar in responsibility level, and similar in the skills and qualifications involved in the positions. Employees may not be grouped in an SSEG for purposes of these Voluntary Guidelines unless the work performed, responsibility level, and requisite skills and qualifications involved in their positions are actually similar, regardless of any employer-created designation, such as job title, job classification, pay grade or range, etc. The fact that an employer has grouped employees into a particular pay grade or range does not necessarily mean that these employees are similarly situated; the determining factors are whether the employees are performing similar work, have similar responsibility level, and occupy positions involving similar skills and qualifications. In addition to work performed, responsibility level, and skills/qualifications involved in the positions, other factors may have a significant bearing on whether employees are similarly situated. Such additional factors may include, for example, department or other functional unit of the employer, employment status (e.g., full-time versus part-time), compensation status (e.g., union versus non-union, hourly versus salaried versus commissions), etc. Contractors should consider the applicability of such factors in developing SSEGs, in addition to similarity in work performed and in responsibility level, skills, and qualifications involved in the positions. - OFCCP Voluntary Guidelines

Special Disabled Veteran top ^
Special disabled veteran means:
(i) A veteran who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs for a disability:
(A) Rated at 30 percent or more; or
(B) Rated at 10 or 20 percent in the case of a veteran who has been determined under 38 U.S.C. 3106 to have a serious employment handicap; or
(ii) A person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability. - 41 CFR § 60-250.2

Standard Form 100 top ^
see EEO-1 Report

Subcontract top ^
Subcontract means any agreement or arrangement between a contractor and any person (in which the parties do not stand in the relationship of an employer and an employee):
(1) For the purchase, sale or use of personal property or nonpersonal services which, in whole or in part, is necessary to the performance of any one or more contracts; or
(2) Under which any portion of the contractor's obligation under any one or more contracts is performed, undertaken or assumed. - 41 CFR § 60-1.3

Any agreement or arrangement between a contractor and any person (in which the parties do not stand in the relationship of an employer and an employee):
(a) for the furnishing of supplies or services or for the use of real or personal property, including lease arrangements, which, in whole or in part, is necessary to the performance of any one or more Government contracts; or
(b) under which any portion of the contractor's obligation under one or more Government contracts is performed, undertaken or assumed. See 41 CFR 60-1.3. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Subcontractor top ^
Subcontractor means any person holding a subcontract and, for the purposes of Subpart B of this part, any person who has held a subcontract subject to the order. The term ''first-tier subcontractor'' refers to a subcontractor holding a subcontract with a prime contractor. - 41 CFR § 60-1.3

"Subcontractor" means any employer having a contract with a prime contractor or another subcontractor calling for supplies or services required for the performance of a Government contract or federally assisted construction contract. - EEO-1 Report Instruction Booklet

Support Data top ^
Statistical data, documentation and other materials regarding employment practices, generally used in the development, support and/or justification of an affirmative action program. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Systemic Discrimination top ^
Employment policies or practices that serve to differentiate or to perpetuate a differentiation in terms or conditions of employment of applicants or employees because of their status as members of a particular group. Such policies or practices may or may not be facially neutral, and intent to discriminate may or may not be involved. Systemic discrimination, sometimes called class discrimination or a pattern or practice of discrimination, concerns a recurring practice or continuing policy rather than an isolated act of discrimination. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Systemic Compensation Discrimination top ^
Systemic compensation discrimination exists where there are statistically significant compensation disparities between similarly situated employees, after taking into account legitimate factors which influence compensation. Such legitimate factors may include education, experience, performance, productivity, location, etc. The determination of whether there are statistically significant compensation disparities between similarly situated employees after taking into account such legitimate factors must be based on a multiple regression analysis. However, legitimate factors that influence compensation may be qualitative or otherwise unquantifiable, in which case non-statistical methods must be used to explain the multiple regression analyses. - OFCCP Interpretive Guidance

Termination (of Employment) top ^
Separation of an employee from the active and inactive payroll. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

Any separation, voluntary or involuntary, of an employee from your active or inactive payroll. A termination is a complete break in employment status. - EO Survey

Underutilization top ^
Having materially fewer minorities or women in a particular job group than reasonably would be expected based upon their availability. See Section 2G06. - OFCCP Compliance Manual (Chapter 1)

VETS-100 Report top ^
Each contractor or subcontractor who enters into a contract in the amount of $25,000 or more with any department or agency of the United States for the procurement of personal property and non-personal services (including construction), and who is subject to 38 U.S.C. 4212(a) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regulations at 41 CFR part 60-250, must submit a [VETS-100] report according to the requirements of Sec. 61-250.10. - 41 CFR § 61-250.1

Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act top ^
Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (38 U.S.C. 4212, or VEVRAA)... requires Government contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified special disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. - 41 CFR § 60-250.1

Workforce Analysis top ^
A workforce analysis is a listing of each job title as appears in applicable collective bargaining agreements or payroll records ranked from the lowest paid to the highest paid within each department or other similar organizational unit including departmental or unit supervision. - 41 CFR § 60-2.11

The above definitions are provided by Maly Consulting LLC for information purposes only and not as legal advice. The OFCCP Compliance Manual and government websites do not carry the weight of law and many references are contradictory and may be out of date with current practices. If you have any questions concerning the information provided, please contact us at info@malyconsulting.com