OFCCP, EEOC announce HIRE initiative to advance equal opportunity

On January 12, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced they were establishing a joint effort to boost hiring equity known as the Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity (HIRE). HIRE is described as a multiyear collaborative effort chaired by EEOC Chair Charlotte Burrows and OFCCP Director (and former EEOC Chair) Jenny Yang to engage with a broad array of stakeholders in expanding access to good jobs for workers from underrepresented communities and help address key hiring and recruitment challenges. Both Chair Burrows and Director Yang emphasized pay equity as a key to attracting and retaining a diverse, talented workforce.

The agencies launched HIRE with a virtual roundtable on January 19, titled “Building on Dr. King’s Legacy: Launch of HIRE, a Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity.” The roundtable brought together employer, worker, and civil rights organizations to explore how to promote recruitment and hiring practices that advance racial equity for underserved communities. The participants, who represented a wide range of stakeholders, offered recommendations on how employers can increase diversity.