How is race/ethnicity data from applicants and employees currently used?

In the recruitment and selection process, applicant race/ethnicity information is presented in an aggregated (summarized) format to help recruiters and hiring managers assess the total applicant pool and determine whether good faith efforts in inclusive outreach have been successful, given affirmative action recruitment goals. Recruiters and those involved in the selection do not have access to the race/ethnicity of individual applicants. Department staff involved in the selection and hiring process are not allowed to provide any preference to applicants on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, or sex, according to both state and federal compliance requirements.

Similarly, decisions about personnel actions for employees (including but not limited to salary increases, promotion, transfer, and termination) cannot be made on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, or sex. This data is confidential and used only for limited purposes. Affirmative action analysts in Human Resources use aggregated race/ethnicity information to monitor for possible discrimination in employment practices.