Affirmative Action: Social Security Can Do More To Improve Blacks' Representation in Its Work Force

Highlights

In response to a congressional request, GAO discussed: (1) the effect of the affirmative action plan at Social Security Administration (SSA) headquarters on the representation of blacks in some job series; (2) how SSA developed and implemented affirmative action plans; and (3) whether SSA planning and reporting complied with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requirements.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Health and Human Services	The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to integrate the SSA-wide affirmative action plan into components' plans, especially in regard to identifying mainstream job series and establishing hiring, promotion, and reassignment goals.	Closed – Not Implemented SSA disagreed with this recommendation and stated that components' affirmative action plans were already integrated into the SSA-wide plan.
Department of Health and Human Services	The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to require components to report affirmative action accomplishments with sufficient information to determine whether affirmative action goals and objectives were achieved.	Closed – Not Implemented SSA disagreed with this recommendation and stated that enough information was provided by its components in the annual accomplishment/update reports.
Department of Health and Human Services	The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to bring the affirmative action program into compliance with EEOC directives by requiring that SSA compile race and sex profile data for all stages of the internal selection process, including data on all qualified applicants, best-qualified candidates, and selectees for job vacancies.	Closed – Implemented SSA issued guidance to all components and regional offices requiring that complete applicant floor data be collected for all stages of the internal selection process in regard to vacancy announcements.
Department of Health and Human Services	The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to request SSA organizational components to include data in the annual accomplishment reports on skills development activities, such as individual development plans, bridge position reassignments, and training opportunities for targeted underrepresented minority groups.	Closed – Implemented SSA components have been directed to include formal skills development activities in their annual accomplishment reports relating to affirmative employment plans.
Department of Health and Human Services	The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to bring the affirmative action program into compliance with EEOC directives by requiring that SSA identify and act to reduce or eliminate artificial barriers that adversely affect the advancement of underrepresented minority groups.	Closed – Not Implemented According to SSA Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity Office officials, no additional barrier analysis studies were conducted during FY 1989. SSA issued revised guidance on: (1) identifying artificial barriers that adversely affect the advancement of minority groups; and (2) preparing related reports.

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Equal Opportunity

African AmericansEmployment discriminationEmployment of minoritiesFair employment programsFederal employeesHiring policiesLabor statisticsProgram managementReporting requirementsAfrican Americans