An EEO statement is a short declaration that an employer makes employment decisions without regard to protected characteristics. It is common in job ads and handbooks, and it only helps if practice matches it.
| Where | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Job postings | Tells applicants the hiring process is open to them |
| Application form | Repeats the commitment where data is collected |
| Employee handbook | States the policy and how to report a concern |
| Offer letters and internal postings | Keeps the message consistent inside the company |
Keep the list of characteristics in step with the laws where you hire. A statement copied from another state can leave out a characteristic your own state protects.
EZTime digital HR forms let you send, sign and file employee documents online.
A retail chain’s job ads carry a standard EEO statement. Its store managers also screen applicants with a question about weekend availability that rules out anyone who cannot work Saturdays, with no exceptions.
An applicant says he cannot work Saturdays for religious reasons and is screened out automatically. The statement in the ad does not help the company here; what matters is that the screening question gave no room to consider an accommodation.
The chain changes the question to ask about availability in general, adds a line in the application telling applicants how to request an accommodation, and trains managers to send those requests to HR. The EEO statement stays the same, but now the process behind it supports it.
A statement is a promise; the hiring process is where it is kept or broken. Once a year, walk through your hiring steps and ask of each one whether it could screen people out for reasons unrelated to the job. Common problems are screening questions with no room for exceptions, interview times that only suit one group, job requirements that are habits rather than needs, and interviewers who ask different questions of different candidates.
Make it easy to ask for an accommodation in the process. A line in the job posting and on the application telling candidates who to contact, and a named person who responds within a set time, turns the statement into a working process.
A cleaning company’s job ads require a driver’s license for all cleaners. In practice, crews travel together in a company van driven by the crew lead.
The company limits the license requirement to crew leads. The number of applicants for cleaner roles rises, including people who use public transportation, and the company fills its open positions faster. The EEO statement in the ad did not change; the requirement behind it did.
Not for every employer. It is a common practice, and some employers, such as certain federal contractors, have specific notice or posting duties. Check the rules that apply to you.
That employment decisions are made without regard to the characteristics protected by the laws that apply to you, listed specifically, and how to request an accommodation.
Yes. Executive Order 14173 revoked Executive Order 11246. The Department of Labor says Section 503 and VEVRAA obligations remain in effect.
Employers with 15 or more employees. State laws may cover smaller employers.
Usually at the end of the posting, together with how to request an accommodation in the hiring process.
Many employers list the characteristics protected by the laws that apply to them. Keep the list current with your state and local rules.
Digital HR forms, e-signatures and a digital employee file with expiry reminders, plus announcements by location, department or role.