State Department: Additional Steps Are Needed to Identify Barriers to Workforce Diversity
Released: 2020-06-17T00:00:00

Letter

Background

State had 22,806 full-time, permanent, career employees at the end of fiscal year 2018—an increase of more than 38 percent from fiscal year 2002. Over this period, the number of full-time, permanent, career employees in State’s Civil Service rose by nearly 40 percent, from 6,831 in fiscal year 2002 to 9,546 in fiscal year 2018. Over the same period, the number of full-time, permanent, career employees in State’s Foreign Service increased by 36 percent, from 9,739 to 13,260.

To increase diversity in its workforce, State carries out a variety of efforts focused on recruiting and retention. For example, the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program and Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program recruit diverse candidates for the Foreign Service by providing graduate fellowships to college seniors and college graduates. Additionally, according to State officials, recruiters for the department participate in career fairs and discussion panels and host information sessions at conferences with a focus on diversity and inclusion, such as those held by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Some regional and functional bureaus also undertake efforts to increase diversity. According to State’s Senior Advisor for Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach, bureau leaders set the tone, and provide support for bureau- level initiatives.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Management Directive 715 (MD-715) provides policy guidance and standards for establishing and maintaining effective affirmative programs of equal employment opportunity. Through MD-715, EEOC directs federal agencies to regularly evaluate their employment practices to identify barriers to equal opportunity in the workplace, take measures to eliminate identified barriers, and report annually on these efforts to EEOC.

Overall Proportion of Racial or Ethnic Minorities at State Has Grown, but Proportions of African Americans and Women Have Fallen Proportion of Racial or Ethnic Minorities at State Increased, While Proportion of African Americans Decreased

Among State’s full-time, permanent, career employees, the proportion of racial or ethnic minorities grew from 28 percent in fiscal year 2002 to 32 percent in fiscal year 2018. During this period, as figure 1 shows, the proportion of racial or ethnic minorities in the Civil Service decreased slightly, from 44 to 43 percent, and the proportion of racial or ethnic minorities in the Foreign Service increased from 17 to 24 percent.

Although the overall proportion of racial or ethnic minorities at State increased from fiscal year 2002 to fiscal year 2018, the direction of change for specific racial or ethnic minority groups varied, as shown in figure 1.

The proportion of African Americans at State overall declined from 17 percent in fiscal year 2002 to 15 percent in fiscal year 2018. The proportion of African Americans in State’s Civil Service decreased from 34 to 26 percent, while the proportion of African Americans in State’s Foreign Service increased from 6 to 7 percent.

The proportions of Hispanics, Asians, and other racial or ethnic minorities at State overall and in both the Civil and Foreign Services increased by varying percentages from fiscal year 2002 to fiscal year 2018.

As figure 2 shows, the proportions of racial or ethnic minorities in the Civil and Foreign Services were generally much smaller in higher ranks in fiscal year 2018.

The proportion of racial or ethnic minorities in fiscal year 2018 was lower than the proportion of whites at GS-11, GS-13, and higher ranks in the Civil Service and at all ranks in the Foreign Service.

The proportion of racial or ethnic minorities in fiscal year 2018 was progressively lower in each rank above GS-12 in the Civil Service and above Class 5 in the Foreign Service.

Proportion of Women at State Decreased

Among State’s full-time, permanent, career employees, the overall proportion of women at State decreased slightly, from 44 percent in fiscal year 2002 to 43 percent in fiscal year 2018. During this period, as figure 3 shows, the proportion of women in State’s Civil Service decreased from 61 to 54 percent and the proportion of women in State’s Foreign Service increased from 33 to 35 percent.

In addition, the proportion of women at State was generally lower than that of men in the higher ranks of both the Civil and Foreign Services in fiscal year 2018, as figure 4 shows.

The proportion of women was lower than the proportion of men at GS- 14 and higher ranks in the Civil Service and at Class 4 and higher ranks in the Foreign Service in fiscal year 2018. For example, the proportion of women at Class 4 was 36 percent, while the proportion of men was 64 percent.

The proportion of women in the Civil and Foreign Services in fiscal year 2018 was generally progressively smaller from the lower to the higher ranks.

Promotion Outcomes Were Generally Lower for Racial or Ethnic Minorities Than for Whites and Differed for Women Relative to Men

Our analyses of State data for fiscal years 2002 through 2018 found differences between promotion outcomes for racial or ethnic minorities relative to whites and for women relative to men. We found these differences when conducting descriptive analyses, which calculated simple averages, as well as adjusted analyses, which controlled for certain individual and occupational factors other than racial or ethnic minority status and gender that could influence promotion. Our analyses do not completely explain the reasons for differences in promotion outcomes, which may result from various unobservable factors. Thus, our analyses do not establish a causal relationship between demographic characteristics and promotion outcomes. The following are some highlights of our analysis.

Promotion outcomes in State’s Civil Service were generally lower for racial or ethnic minorities than for whites. Our descriptive analysis of State data for fiscal years 2002 through 2018 found that rates of promotion from GS-11 through the executive rank were 16.1 to 42.0 percent lower for racial or ethnic minorities in the Civil Service than for their white counterparts, depending on the GS level. Our adjusted analysis, controlling for factors other than race or ethnicity that could influence promotion, found that racial or ethnic minorities in the Civil Service were 4.3 to 29.3 percent less likely to be promoted from GS-11 through the executive rank than their white counterparts.

Promotion rates in State’s Foreign Service were generally lower for racial or ethnic minorities than for whites, but the differences in promotion odds were generally not statistically significant. Our descriptive analysis of State data for fiscal years 2002 through 2018 found that, relative to whites, the rate of promotion for racial or ethnic minorities in the Foreign Service was 5.0 to 15.8 percent lower for promotions from Class 4 through Class 1. Controlling for factors other than race or ethnicity that could influence promotion, our adjusted analysis found that differences in the odds of promotion for racial or ethnic minorities and whites were generally not statistically significant. However, the odds of promotion from Class 4 to Class 3 were statistically significantly lower for racial or ethnic minorities than for their white counterparts.

Promotion rates were generally lower for women than men in State’s Civil Service, but differences in the odds of promotion were not statistically significant. Our descriptive analysis of State data for fiscal years 2002 through 2018 found that the rate of promotion in the Civil Service was generally lower for women than for men. Specifically, for promotions from GS-11 through the executive rank, promotion rates for women were generally 0.7 to 11.6 percent lower than the promotion rates for men, depending on the GS level. However, our adjusted analysis, controlling for factors other than gender that could influence promotion, did not find any statistically significant differences in the odds of promotion for women and men in the Civil Service.

Our adjusted analysis found that the odds of promotion were generally higher for women than men in State’s Foreign Service. Our descriptive analysis of State data for fiscal years 2002 through 2018 found that women in the Foreign Service experienced a higher rate of promotion than men from Class 3 to Class 2 and from Class 2 to Class 1. Our adjusted analysis, controlling for factors other than gender that could influence promotion, found that women in the Foreign Service had higher odds of promotion than men in early to mid career. For example, the odds of promotion from Class 4 to Class 3 were 9.4 percent higher for women than for men.

State Has Identified Some Diversity Issues but Should Consider Other Issues That Could Indicate Potential Barriers

State has identified some diversity issues in its reports to EEOC. As table 1 shows, in fiscal years 2009 through 2018, State’s annual MD-715 reports identified and analyzed a total of 11 diversity issues related to participation of racial or ethnic minorities and women. State identified most of these issues in multiple years.

However, State employee groups and our analysis have identified additional diversity issues, such as differences in promotion outcomes for racial or ethnic minorities relative to whites in early to mid career. For example, during our structured interviews with 11 employee groups, representatives of the groups discussed a variety of issues related to diversity at State. Examples include the following:

Employee group representatives expressed concern about representation of minorities in the higher ranks of both the Civil and Foreign Services. For example, representatives told us that for some minority groups, it is difficult to be promoted above the GS-13 level.

Employee group representatives voiced perceptions that it takes longer for women and racial or ethnic minorities to be promoted. For example, representatives of one group told us that it takes longer for employees with diverse backgrounds to reach GS-13 in the Civil Service and Class 2 in the Foreign Service and that very few of these employees are promoted beyond those levels.

We recommended that the Secretary of State take additional steps to identify diversity issues that could indicate potential barriers to equal opportunity in its workforce. For example, State could conduct additional analyses of workforce data and of employee groups’ feedback. State concurred with the recommendation and noted that the agency will continue to work on initiatives to recruit, retain, develop, and empower a diverse, capable workforce.

In conclusion, although State has implemented several plans, activities, and initiatives to improve diversity and representation throughout the ranks of its workforce, longstanding diversity issues—for example, underrepresentation of racial or ethnic minorities and women in the senior ranks—persist at the agency. Until State takes steps to explore such issues, it could be missing opportunities to investigate, identify, and remove barriers that impede members of some demographic groups from realizing their full potential.

Chairman Castro, Ranking Member Zeldin, and Members of the Subcommittee, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be pleased to respond to any questions that you may have at this time.

GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments

If you or your staff have any questions about this testimony, please contact Jason Bair, Director, International Affairs and Trade, at (202) 512- 6881 or bairj@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this statement. GAO staff who made key contributions to this testimony are Emil Friberg (Assistant Director), Julia Jebo Grant (Analyst-in-Charge), Nisha Rai, Moon Parks, Justin Fisher, Melinda Cordero, Courtney Lafountain, Kathleen McQueeney, Dae Park, K. Nicole Willems, Reid Lowe, and Christopher Keblitis.

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