The day is coming when machine learning will help the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) determine who might face discrimination in the workplace. The idea is to identify bias before it occurs. However, it may take three to five years before the system is put in place.
The EEOC recently hired its first chief data officer who wants to create an early warning system based on gender, race, ethnicity, and similar issues. Algorithms can then use the previous experiences of individuals to predict future experiences. This means that the EEOC may be able to determine if certain groups of people prove more likely to face discrimination and provide information to workers to make them aware of their rights. That, in turn, could lead to an increase in discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC.
Other Agencies as Partners
In its efforts, the EEOC will partner with other federal agencies, such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Labor, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services. The Census Bureau is the agency tasked with collecting information on race and ethnicity, along with English proficiency. Such information, shared with the EEOC, could lead to improved targeting of populations vulnerable to employment discrimination.
Employer Surveys Available to the Public
While the machine learning system is still several years in the future, the EEOC is making one big change as of January 2019, which involves public release of the EEOC’s employer information surveys, also known as EEO-1 surveys. The EEO-1 survey includes information about race, gender, ethnicity, and job category. Not all employers must file such reports, but it is required for those companies with more than 100 employees, companies with less than 100 employees who are affiliated or owned by a company with more than 100 employees, or a company with at least 50 employees who have federal contracts or subcontracts in excess of $50,000.
Once the files are available to download, the data is usable for those seeking to analyze it. Privacy protections are put in place, but overall data analysis is now possible for public use.
Streamlining Investigations
The EEOC works to aid individual employment discrimination investigations every day. Now, the new data team can more effectively provide claimants with their information requests, along with finding any discrepancies.
Bucks County Employment Lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. Work to Help Victims of Employment Discrimination
If you or a loved one has been the victim of employment discrimination, you need the services of the experienced Bucks County employment lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. Call our office today at 215-569-1999 to arrange a free initial consultation or contact us online. Located in Philadelphia, we proudly serve clients from the surrounding areas, including Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, and Montgomery County.
