Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures Should Be Reviewed and Revised
FPCD-82-26
Published: Jul 30, 1982. Publicly Released: Jul 30, 1982.
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Highlights
The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures describe the federal government's position on how tests should be used in making employment decisions which are consistent with federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. This review was made because GAO believes that the guidelines: (1) are important to EEO enforcement; and (2) have been publicly criticized by some of their users. The objective of the review was to determine whether those responsible for administering the guidelines and those who used them were experiencing any problems in their application.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) should initiate a review of the guidelines and revise them. This effort should include coordinating the review of the technical provisions with the joint committee revising APA standards. |
Closed – Implemented
EEOC adopted a resolution directing its staff to prepare changes to the guidelines recordkeeping provision. It voted to review substantive provisions. The review is being done in light of recent court decisions. The Chairman plans to submit proposed changes to the commissioners. The study is ongoing and officials could not provide a completion date or ensure that revisions would be finalized.
|
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | EEOC should examine the problems associated with: (1) collecting and maintaining adverse impact data; (2) searching for alternatives during validation; and (3) the relationship of merit laws to the guidelines. |
Closed – Implemented
NPRM will address collecting and maintaining adverse impact data. EEOC stated its current review will encompass all relevant issues, including searching for alternatives during validation and the relationship of merit laws to the guidelines. The study is still underway and EEOC officials could not provide an anticipated completion date or ensure that the study revisions will be finalized.
|
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | EEOC should determine how to make the guidelines more understandable to their users. |
Closed – Implemented
EEOC stated that making the guidelines more understandable is an objective of the current review. The study is still underway and EEOC officials could not provide an anticipated completion date or ensure that the study revisions will be finalized.
|
| Office of Personnel Management | The Office of Personnel Management should cooperate with EEOC in this important effort. |
Closed – Implemented
EEOC stated that, at this stage, the other signatory agencies would not be included in discussions of options. Once EEOC decides what option to follow, the other agencies will be included.
|
| Department of Justice | The Department of Justice should cooperate with EEOC in this important effort. |
Closed – Implemented
EEOC stated that, at this stage, the other signatory agencies would not be included in discussions of options. Once EEOC decides what option to follow, the other agencies will be included.
|
| Department of Labor | The Department of Labor should cooperate with EEOC in this important effort. |
Closed – Implemented
EEOC stated that, at this stage, the other signatory agencies would not be included in discussions of options. Once EEOC decides what option to follow, the other agencies will be included.
|
| Department of the Treasury | The Department of the Treasury should cooperate with EEOC in this important effort. |
Closed – Implemented
EEOC stated that, at this stage, the other signatory agencies would not be included in discussions of options. Once EEOC decides what option to follow, the other agencies will be included.
|
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Civil rights law enforcementFair employment programsHiring policiesPersonnel managementPolicy evaluationRacial discriminationEqual employment opportunityCivil rightsEqual employmentEqual opportunity