Each year, all private employers that are covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and that have 100 or more employees must file EEO-1 Component 1 data, which consists of demographic information – such as race, gender, and ethnicity information – of the employer’s workforce by job category with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regulations require certain federal contractors to file a EEO-1 Component 1 Report if they have 50 or more employees and are not otherwise exempt.

On April 12, 2022, the EEOC announced that data collection for 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 filing is now open and employers have until Tuesday, May 17, 2022 to submit their data to the agency. To meet this deadline, all eligible filers should begin the filing process as soon as possible.

In an effort to modernize the process and improve the quality of the data collected by the agency, the EEOC has updated the filing process by making it more user-friendly and streamlining functions within the EEO-1 Component 1 Online Filing System, including additional self-service options and a new Filer Support Team Message Center. According to the EEOC, the new Message Center allows filers to submit their requests for assistance to the Filer Support Team within the EEO-1 Component 1 Online Filing System, as well as update requests with new information, terminate requests, and track the status of requests. The system also provides employers with more self-service capabilities and guidance to help connect filers to relevant materials addressing their questions.

Another noteworthy change this year is that the EEOC is discontinuing the EEO-1 Component 1 Type 6 Establishment List Report for reporting establishments with fewer than 50 employees. Type 6 reports allowed these employers to report only the total number of employees at an establishment with fewer than 50 employees, rather than providing demographic data by EEO-1 category for each location. However, beginning with the 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection, all filers reporting data for establishments with fewer than 50 employees must use a Type 8 Establishment Report to submit such data for each establishment. The EEOC hopes that this change will allow the agency “to collect more accurate employee demographic data in support of the agency’s mission to prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination and advance equal opportunity for all in the workplace.”

Filers should use the dedicated website to access the EEO-1 Component 1 Online Filing System and to find the latest filing updates and other helpful resource materials. Filers who need additional technical assistance may visit at:  www.eeocdata.org/eeo1/support/contactus.