President Signs Order To Promote Diversity And Inclusion In The Federal Workforce

EEOC Chair Berrien to Help Establish Government-Wide Initiative

WASHINGTON – President Obama today  signed an executive order to promote equal employment opportunity, diversity  and inclusion in the federal workforce, making federal workplaces models that  tap talents from all segments of society.

The order directs U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)  Director John Berry and Deputy Director for Management of the Office of  Management and Budget (OMB) Jeff Zients, in coordination with Equal Employment  Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien and the President's  Management Council (PMC), to establish a government-wide initiative to promote  diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce; develop a government-wide  strategic plan and guidance for agency-specific plans within 90 days; identify  best practices to improve agency efforts; and establish a system for reporting  on agency progress.

The plans should identify strategies to remove barriers to  equal opportunity in federal government recruitment, hiring, promotion,  retention, professional development and training. Within 120 days after the government-wide  plan is released, each agency must to issue its own agency-specific Diversity  and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

"President Obama's Executive  Order reinforces the leadership that federal agencies can play in ensuring that  every qualified worker has an equal opportunity to succeed and advance in the  workplace," Chair Berrien said. "The Executive Order will help the nation  fulfill the promise of equal employment opportunity, in every workplace,  beginning with the federal government."

The full text of the President's executive order,  "Establishing a Coordinated Government-Wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and  Inclusion in the Federal Workforce," is available on-line at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/08/18/executive-order-establishing-coordinated-government-wide-initiative-prom.

The EEOC enforces the nation's  laws against employment discrimination. More information is available on the  EEOC's website: www.eeoc.gov. Additional information on the federal sector EEO  process can be found at www.eeoc.gov/federal/.