President Signs Order to Promote Diversity And Inclusion in the Federal Workforce

President Obama has signed an executive order to promote equal employment opportunity, diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce, making federal workplaces models that tap talents from all segments of society.

The order directs U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)  Director John Berry and Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Jeff Zients, in coordination with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien and the President’s Management Council (PMC), to establish a government-wide initiative to promote diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce; develop a government-wide strategic plan and guidance for agency-specific plans within 90 days; identify best practices to improve agency efforts; and establish a system for reporting on agency progress.

The plans should identify strategies to remove barriers to equal opportunity in federal government recruitment, hiring, promotion,  retention, professional development and training. Within 120 days after the government-wide plan is released, each agency must to issue its own agency-specific Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

“President Obama’s Executive Order reinforces the leadership that federal agencies can play in ensuring that every qualified worker has an equal opportunity to succeed and advance in the workplace,” Chair Berrien said. “The Executive Order will help the nation fulfill the promise of equal employment opportunity, in every workplace,  beginning with the federal government.”

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