On May 14, 2026, the EEOC announced that it is seeking to rescind the EEO-1 data collection form.
Since 1966, the EEO-1 report has required certain private and public employers to submit data on the representation of different demographic groups across broad job categories, allowing the EEOC to identify potential patterns of discrimination and utilize investigative resources efficiently.
The entire contents of the EEOC’s proposal to eliminate the requirement will not be made public until it is reviewed by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), although the move to eliminate the requirements on its own signals a potentially big change for covered employers.
The EEOC has suggested the motivation for this proposal is that such data collection leads to quota or race-based hiring, emphasizing that employers use aggregate data to prevent discrimination and ensure their employment practices are job-related and fair.
However, other industry leaders argue that eliminating this data collection would harm both employers and workers by removing a key tool that employers use to understand their workforce composition, benchmark against industry trends, and identify whether potentially discriminatory barriers are causing them to miss qualified talent.
We will keep watch as this proposal develops and keep you informed. For now, obligated employers should continue to prepare their EEO-1 reports, as there are still several steps before the rule is finalized.