Equal Opportunity

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Open Recommendations

Women in Special Operations: Improvements to Policy, Data, and Assessments Needed to Better Understand and Address Career Barriers
GAO-23-105168
Dec 15, 2022
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8 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should revise Army policy for prohibited discrimination—specifically, provisions related to such incidents occurring in joint environments—to ensure that the Army policy aligns with DOD policy. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commandant of the Marine Corps revises Marine Corps policy for prohibited discrimination and harassment—specifically, provisions related to such incidents occurring in joint environments—to ensure that the Marine Corps policy aligns with DOD policy. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should revise Department of the Air Force policy for prohibited discrimination and harassment—specifically, provisions related to such incidents occurring in joint environments—to ensure that the Department of the Air Force policy aligns with DOD policy. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, in coordination with the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; and the Secretaries of the military departments, establishes a collaborative process for the timely sharing of accurate and complete data on SOCOM personnel, including data on incidents of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness clearly documents and communicates which office has responsibility for the required annual assessments regarding the full integration of women into previously closed positions. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness establishes a consistent process for the use of the required annual assessments regarding the full integration of women into previously closed positions. The process should include a plan of action to guide efforts to address any barriers to women's service in U.S. Special Operations Forces identified in the assessments. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Oversight of the Length of the Charge Intake Process is Needed
GAO-23-106245
Oct 31, 2022
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The Chair of the EEOC should monitor field office-level data on the length of the intake process. For example, EEOC could monitor these data by including them in the monthly internal management reports it produces. (Recommendation 1)
Open
EEOC concurred with this recommendation. EEOC officials said that the agency is modernizing its charge management system, and as it does so it will evaluate what additional data points need to be captured to track the length of the intake process. We will monitor the progress of these efforts.

K-12 Education: Department of Education Should Provide Information on Equity and Safety in School Dress Codes
GAO-23-105348
Oct 25, 2022
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Education The Secretary of Education should provide resources to help districts and schools design equitable dress codes to promote a supportive and inclusive learning environment. (Recommendation 1)
Open
Education neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. The agency described efforts it plans to take to address this recommendation: we will monitor the agency's progress on these efforts.
Department of Education The Secretary of Education should include dress code information in existing resources on safe and supportive schools. This information could include examples of dress codes that safeguard students' privacy and body autonomy. (Recommendation 2)
Open
Education neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. The agency described efforts it plans to take to address this recommendation: we will monitor the agency's progress on these efforts.
Department of Education The Secretary of Education should provide resources for states, school districts, and schools on the equitable enforcement of discipline, including dress code discipline. These resources should include information that helps states, school districts, and schools address potential disparities and disproportionality in dress code enforcement, as appropriate. (Recommendation 3)
Open
Education neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. The agency described efforts it plans to take to address this recommendation: we will monitor the agency's progress on these efforts.
Department of Education The Secretary of Education should collect information on the prevalence and effects of informal removals and non-exclusionary discipline and disseminate this information to states, school districts, and schools. (Recommendation 4)
Open
Education neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. Education officials said that through a formal comment process, the agency is soliciting specific input from the public on questions related to informal removals, and that the responses will inform OCR's proposed information collection request for the CRDC's 2025-26 school year collection. However, it also said it does not have mechanisms for collecting information on the effects of these practices. Education also said that IES is authorized to evaluate federal education programs but that the department does not have a discrete, evaluable program that addresses informal removals or non-exclusionary discipline. Further, Education explained that while the agency does not have the authority to direct RELs to conduct research on informal removals and non-exclusionary discipline, the RELs could themselves conduct such research if a REL's stakeholders prioritize it. We appreciate Education's efforts and understand the challenges of determining the effects of informal removals and non-exclusionary discipline. We encourage Education to think creatively about ways to collect and share information, within its existing authorities, about the effects of informal removals and exclusionary discipline. For example, it could leverage discussions with stakeholders, working groups, or exploratory committees as a first step toward collecting and disseminating information on the effects of informal removals and non-exclusionary discipline.

Workforce Diversity: Hispanic Workers Are Underrepresented in the Media, and More Data Are Needed for Federal Enforcement Efforts
GAO-22-104669
Oct 05, 2022
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The Chair of EEOC should work with FCC to develop a new memorandum of understanding that includes a plan for EEOC to routinely share data with FCC regarding discrimination charges filed against broadcasters and cable and satellite television operators. (Recommendation 1)
Open
EEOC neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation, but agreed that federal data sharing can help agencies address employment discrimination. EEOC noted current and planned efforts to address this recommendation. We will monitor the agency's progress and consider closing the recommendation when these efforts are complete.
Federal Communications Commission The Chair of FCC should work with EEOC to develop a new memorandum of understanding that includes a plan for EEOC to routinely share data with FCC regarding discrimination charges filed against broadcasters and cable and satellite television operators. (Recommendation 2)
Open
FCC agreed with this recommendation and described their initial efforts to work collaboratively with EEOC to address it. We will monitor the agency's progress and consider closing the recommendation when these efforts are complete.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The Chair of EEOC should improve EEOC's approach to routinely identify local unions required to file an EEO-3 report to help ensure that they file such reports on the demographics of union members. (Recommendation 3)
Open
EEOC neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation, but agreed that data quality is critical to enforcing the nation's equal employment opportunity laws. EEOC noted current and planned efforts to address this recommendation. We will monitor the agency's progress and consider closing the recommendation when these efforts are complete.
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