Black And Hispanic Workers Still Left Behind, EEOC Finds

Workers of color made up 40.1% of the high tech workforce in 2022, comprising a share similar to the total US workforce, according to a new report from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

However, Black and Hispanic workers remain significantly underrepresented in the high tech workforce and sector, especially in senior roles, depsite growing numbers.

The high tech workforce

The high tech workforce refers to workers in 56 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations regardless of industry, for example, an engineer working at a nonprofit.

Black high tech workers grew by an average of 7.2% annually, but this did little to budge their representation as a proportion of the high tech workforce which remained at 7.4%. By contrast, Black workers make up 11.6% of the total US workforce.

Similarly, Hispanic workers saw strong growth, increasing from 6.9% in 2014 to 9.9% in 2022, yet remain underrepresented compared to their 18.7% share of the overall workforce.

The gap is even wider in management roles. In 2022, only 5.7% of high tech managers were Black, and 8.1% were Hispanic.

Women of color are especially underrepresented, making up only 10% of the high tech workforce, with Black women at just 2.3% and Hispanic women at 2.2%.

The high tech sector – a leadership gap

The high tech sector, which includes STEM and non-STEM jobs, has grown at almost three times the rate of the total US workforce, but the benefits of this growth are not equally distributed.

“Hispanic and Black high tech workers appear to have made incremental progress in gaining access to jobs within the high tech sector, which are higher paying on average,” the report states.

Black (7.6%) and Hispanic (9.5%) workers in the high tech sector are underrepresented to a similar degree as in the high tech workforce.

Big Tech companies, with over 10,000 employees, tend to have more diverse workforces than smaller companies, but even in large firms, employees of color hold few senior positions.

Only 0.6% of senior roles at Big Tech companies are occupied by Black, Hispanic, or other minority workers, compared to 1% at smaller companies.

Discrimination and retalitation

The report highlights structural barriers, such as discrimination and limited access to opportunities, as reasons for the lack of diversity.

An analysis of the discrimination charges filed with the EEOC in 2022 found that retaliation was the most common complaint.

“Given this, it is likely that discrimination in this sector is underreported due, at least in part, to workers’ fear of retaliation,” the report notes.

In a Pew Research Center survey, for example, employees reported higher levels of discrimination than what is represented in the filing of formal complaints with the EEOC.

Calls for Action

The EEOC calls on high tech employers to take proactive steps to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

As high tech jobs continue to expand, ensuring that Black, Hispanic, and female workers have equal access to these opportunities is crucial.

The report urges employers to break down barriers and create more inclusive workplaces where all employees can thrive.