EEOC Proposes Ending 60-Year Demographic Data Collection

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has proposed terminating the collection of EEO-1 reports, ending a 60-year requirement for companies to submit demographic data on employees by race, ethnicity, sex, and job title. The majority-Republican commission, operating under the second Trump administration, expects to approve the measure in the fall of 2026.

Commissioner Andrea Lucas argued that the data collection is unconstitutional and burdensome to employers, claiming it incentivizes discrimination against white workers. Lucas stated that the rescission of the reporting requirement would not hinder the agency's law enforcement work regarding specific discrimination charges.

This proposal is part of a broader strategic shift to prioritize claims made by white men and combat DEI-related discrimination. As part of this transition, the agency is dropping cases involving transgender workers and rescinding anti-harassment guidance. To secure this policy direction, the administration fired two Democratic commissioners to establish a Republican majority and terminated data-sharing agreements with social scientists.

Critics and former officials warn that removing these datasets will hinder the agency's ability to identify widespread discrimination in hiring and promotions.