The percentage of people of color in the federal work force has steadily increased since 1992, but continuing racial/ethnic disparities at the management level suggest much work is yet to be done.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)'s annual report on the federal work force reveals a disturbing reality. National demographics are changing rapidly, and about a third of the U.S. population is now made up of people of color. While a cursory look at federal-work-force diversity suggests decent representation of people of color in the government's overall work force, a deeper analysis shows the percentage of people of color in federal management positions does not reflect the changing demographics of our country or compare favorably with top U.S. corporations.

According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), "The federal government strives to be a model employer by building and maintaining a work force that reflects the rich diversity of the nation." But research indicates that the public sector falls short of its commitment, particularly with respect to management jobs.

"We know a non-inclusive work environment hurts corporations, and it hurts the federal government," said Weldon Latham, renowned corporate-law attorney who represented The Coca-Cola Co. and Texaco in two of the most high-profile racial-discrimination cases in recent history. "Part of this is becoming an employer of choice, and the government is not an employer of choice for much of the population."

The overall federal work force is comparable to The 2006 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity, with their respective work forces, each about a third people of color.

But among the five worst federal agencies for senior-management diversity, which includes employees in the GS-15 grade or Senior Executive Service (SES), people of color participate at half the rate, on average, that they do with Top 50 employers. At first-level management, which includes federal employees at or below the GS-12 grade, the average participation rate for people of color is 10 percent lower than in the Top 50.

The implications are disconcerting. By 2050, the Census Bureau predicts whites will be a minority in this country. In a fiercely competitive global economy, work forces must retain top diverse talent to remain afloat and maximize productivity. As the arbiter of public-policy issues and international relations, the federal work force's ability to adapt to changing demographics is of the utmost importance in meeting taxpayer needs and enforcing national security. And while some agencies have higher representation of people of color in management than a decade ago, it's nowhere near their level of availability.

Take Latinos, for example, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. They accounted for nearly 50 percent of national population growth from 2004 to 2005 and now comprise about 14 percent of the civilian labor force. Only 7.6 percent of federal employees are Latino. At the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Latinos account for a mere 2.2 percent of the total work force and just more than 1 percent of senior managers. In first-line management, Latino representation is flat out zero.     

With the exodus of the baby boomers will come a depletion in knowledge and experience that will devastate the United States' ability to cope unless inclusive groups are trained to replace them. In 2004, more than 45 percent of federal employees were eligible for regular retirement, compared with 27 percent in 1998. A similar amount qualified for early retirement. And OPM's 2004 Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS) shows their replacements don't have the skills.

The study, which assesses responses of nearly 150,000 full-time, permanent employees of the major agencies represented on the President's Management Council, found that on three levels assessing skill, workload and use of talent, the number of positive responses declined from 2002 to 2004.  

While the federal sector lauds its own diversity efforts, such as Secretary Elaine Chao did recently at the 2006 Diversity Best Practices Conference, the survey indicates people of color in the federal work force still disproportionately feel that their managers do not embrace diversity policies and programs.

Julio Matta, executive director of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, says discouraging people of color, women and people with disabilities from seeking careers in management has an extremely negative impact, whether or not it's intentional.

"When the agency denies themselves of recruiting from a vast universe, they also cheat themselves of getting highly qualified individuals that will help that organization meet their goals and meet their mission," Matta said.   

"It's acceptable bad conduct," added Latham. "The business case in the federal government is just as easy to make as in corporate America, but it has to come from a voice that can be heard."

A change in administration often begets a change in agenda. Sometimes progressive initiatives get lost in the transition. Latham knows from experience.

In 2000, Latham represented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in one case in a string of discrimination lawsuits the federal agency faced that year. "They were embarrassed," he said. "Over a 90-day period we outlined what they should be doing, detailed improper activities and devised an action plan. When the administration changed, we tried to sit down with the new EPA officials and couldn't get a meeting. It was very frustrating."

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