CDC/ATSDR Establishes Workgroup To


Enhance Hispanic Representation


By William C. Parra, MS


Closing the Gap, Hispanic Agenda for Action • October 1998


Known as the Nation’s prevention agency, HHS’s Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborates closely 

with State and local health departments, academic institutions, professional and community organizations, school systems, industry, and labor. Its 6,500 employees are assigned to state and major 

city health departments, national organizations, and throughout the 

world to help translate CDC recommendations into improved health 

outcomes. 

Although Hispanics currently represent almost 10 percent of the 

Civilian Labor Force, their representation in the Federal Government 

is substantially lower. Hispanics are underrepresented in 95 percent 

of all Federal agencies with more than 500 employees and represent 

less than 6 percent of the Federal workforce. 

As of October 1, 1997, 172 employees had self-identified as 

Hispanic at CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 

Registry (ATSDR), constituting approximately 2.6 percent of the 

total workforce. Hispanics are the only racial and ethnic minority to 

be consistently underrepresented in all six major job categories and in 

all of the agency’s organizational entities. 

The causes for Hispanic underrepresentation need to be well 

understood to increase the number of well-qualified Hispanic men 

and women in Federal positions. At CDC/ATSDR, Hispanic 

underrepresentation results in lost opportunities to focus on the research needs of Hispanic populations and to develop culturally competent intervention strategies that can effectively reach Hispanic communities. 

On September 8, 1997, a CDC/ATSDR workgroup on Hispanic Recruitment and Retention was formed. Its purpose was to 

develop targeted plans to improve the representation of Hispanics at 

the agency. The workgroup completed its recommendations on November 26, 1997. It began the process by conducting a needs assessment survey among Hispanic employees in the agency. 

The survey was based on a similar instrument administered in 

September 1991 and focused on three main areas: (1) recruitment 

patterns; (2) job satisfiers and dissatisfiers which ultimately influence 

retention; and (3) recommendations to improve Hispanic recruitment and retention. 

The survey had some limitations. It was not distributed to Hispanic employees who had left the agency to determine why they had 

left and was only directed to individuals who self-identify as Hispanic. 

The survey had a 48.5 percent response rate. Almost 60 percent 

of the respondents were recruited to CDC via word of mouth, and 

almost 50 percent were recruited from other Federal, state, and local 

government jobs. Approximately 50 percent were recruited from the 

historically high- Hispanic-population states. 

Several factors were found to influence individuals to accept a 

job: (1) salary; (2) location; (3) opportunity for advancement, and (4) challenge. Respondents ranked the agency 

favorably on all of these factors except opportunity for 

advancement. Factors most likely to influence individuals to leave 

CDC/ATSDR were: (1) limited opportunity for advancement; (2) 

family responsibilities; (3) discrimination; and (4) failure to meet personal needs and goals. Conversely, factors most likely to retain employees at CDC/ATSDR were: (I) better opportunities for advancement; 

(2) better mentoring programs; and (3) increased Hispanic health 

focus. 

Approximately 60 percent of the respondents had a master’s 

degree or higher, and over 60 percent were at a GS-13 grade level or 

higher. Because it was felt that individuals with less education or 

those at lower grade levels may rate job satisfiers/dissatisfiers differently, a cross tabulation was conducted on these two factors. No 

significant differences were found. 

The workgroup recommended that CDC/ATSDR proactively 

expand its recruitment efforts to bring vacancies to the attention of 

highly qualified Hispanics. Such efforts, if successful, should help 

increase CDC/ATSDR’s proportion of Hispanics in the workforce 

from 2.6 percent in October 1997 to a level of 11.1 percent at the 

end of year 2005. 

The goal of attaining parity in 2005 would apply to all job 

categories and all organizational entities within CDC/ATSDR and 

would reflect an annual 1. 1 percentage point increase in the proportion of Hispanic employees at the agency. 

To reach parity, CDC/ATSDR’s recruitment efforts would have 

to result in an increase in the number of Hispanic employees from the 

current level of 172 to 721 in year 2005, equalling an average increase 

of about 69 new Hispanics a year, assuming the successful retention of 

all Hispanics who are currently employed. 

Strategies found to successfully recruit Hispanics include: (1) 

word of mouth, an extremely important method, requiring improved 

support and expansion of employees’ personal and professional networks; (2) better use of internships and fellowships that could serve as 

conduits for the future recruitment of individuals currently enrolled 

in schools of medicine and other health professions; (3) expansion of 

current cooperative agreements with the Association of Schools of 

Public Health, the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine, 

and the Minority Health Professions Foundation to better target Hispanic students or research issues; (4) active participation in the National Internship Program administered by the Hispanic Association 

of Colleges and Universities; (5) special incentives, such as reimbursement of moving expenses to recruit Hispanics; and (6) implementation of the educational loan deferment and repayment plan approved 

in Congress. 

Strategies found to retain Hispanic employees include: (1) Hispanic employee advisory groups to address issues that provide Hispanics with a mechanism for increased input, influence, and empowerment; (2) a research agenda that addresses Hispanic health issues, 

including a closer look at morbidity and mortality in Hispanic populations; (3) long-term communication chancontinue>>>> 

Office of Minority Health Resource Center 1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
CDC/ATSDR Establishes Workgroup To 

Enhance Hispanic Representation 

By William C. Parra, MS 

Closing the Gap, Hispanic Agenda for Action • October 1998 

nels with Hispanic communities; (4) a nondiscriminatory work environment; (5) increase in the number of Hispanic employees in decision-making positions; (6) retention bonuses; and (7) equal access to 

career development opportunities. 

William C. Parra, MS, chairs the CDC/ATSDR workgroup and 

serves as deputy director of the National Center of Environmental Health.

Office of Minority Health Resource Center U.S. Department of Health and Human Services