Report: Asian Americans like government work though advancement hindered

Vice President Kamala Harris, center front, met with AANHPI White House staff
during a recent AANHPI Heritage Month celebration.

Asian Americans apparently enjoy working for the Federal government but when they try to move into management jobs, they find themselves running into the stereotype of Asians as poor leaders.

A new report released yesterday (Jan. 7) by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finds that in fiscal year 2020 Asian Americans were one of the largest growing populations in the United States. Asian American workers were employed in the federal sector at a rate that exceeded their representation in the civilian labor force (CLF).

Asian Americans make up 7.1% of the federal workforce, even though they only make up 5.7% of the civilian workforce, according to the report from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) titled "Asian Americans in the Federal Sector."

However, despite making up 7.1 of the federal workforce, Asians in leadership roles Asian men make up. only 3.3% of leaders. Asian women are even worse, making up 2.3% of the female leaders.

“AA and NHPI participation across all levels of government allows our communities to have a seat at the table, and we are stronger when the federal workforce reflects the diversity of America,” said Krystal Ka‘ai, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

In ensuring opportunities for AANHPI federal employees, the Biden administration has held severall conferences encouraging AANHPI federal workers to seek advancement in government service.

The EEOC report summarizes federal workforce data for Asian Americans in FY 2020. The analysis compared equal employment opportunity (EEO) statistics to the overall federal workforce and the national CLF. 

Other findings include:

• Asian American men accounted for 3.8% of the federal workforce in FY 2020, while Asian American women accounted for 3.2%.

• Asian Americans were relatively underrepresented among leadership roles compared to their representation in the federal workforce. Asian American men accounted for 3.3% of Federal leaders and Asian American women for 2.3%.

• Asian American men (3.1%) and women (2.5%) voluntarily separated—due to either retirement or resignation—from federal agencies at lower rates than their representation in the federal workforce.

• Asian American men (2.5%) and women (1.9%) involuntarily separated—due to either downsizing or removal from service—from federal service at lower rates than their representation in the federal sector.

• Asian Americans earned a median annual salary of $107,221—about 19% more than the governmentwide median of $90,097.

• Three percent of federal sector EEO complaints alleged Asian national origin as a basis.

White workers still dominate the federal workfoce. Sixty percent of the federal workforce identified as white compared to 76% in the private sector. Nearly 19% of the federal workforce identified as Black and 10% identified as Hispanic compared to 13% and 19% of the US labor force, respectively. 

This EEOC report continues a series of recently published profiles of Hispanic women and Latinas, American Indian and Alaska Native women, and African American women in the Federal sector The EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations will continue to profile other populations in future reports. The reports are part of the Biden administration's to diversify the federal workforce and to remove any racial bias in hiring and advancement.

The EEOC prevents and remedies unlawful employment discrimination and advances equal opportunity for all. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.

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