EEO-1 reporting is an important compliance issue. If you miss the deadline, your company could face a federal inquiry. However, it can be difficult to track the changing due dates for these annual reports.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has not yet announced the official submission window or deadlines for reporting 2025 data. Over the past few years, the deadlines have ranged from April to October, sometimes with last-minute delays.
Need a refresher on EEO-1 reporting in the meantime? We’ve got you covered.
What Is an EEO-1 Report?
EEO stands for Equal Employment Opportunity. An EEO-1 report includes workforce data about each employee’s job category, race/ethnicity, and sex.
Federal law requires private employers with 100+ employees and federal contractors with 50+ employees to submit EEO-1 reports to the EEOC every year. The agency uses that data to monitor employment practices and identify patterns of discrimination.
What Is EEO-1 Reporting?
EEO-1 reporting is the annual process of submitting workforce demographic data to the EEOC. HR collects employee information during a snapshot period, which can take place during any pay period in the fourth quarter (October 1 through December 31, 2025). HR then organizes the data according to federal guidelines and files it electronically.
The system holds employers accountable for fair hiring practices and uses EEO-1 data to enforce civil rights laws.
EEO-1 Reporting in 2026: Recent Changes
The EEOC has maintained relatively stable EEO-1 reporting requirements in recent years. In 2025, political and cultural changes began to impact the EEOC’s public policies and stated goals. However, these ongoing trends have not yet changed the EEO-1 data collection guidelines.
For reports due in 2026, employers should expect the same core requirements: demographic data collection during the fall 2025 snapshot period, with filing due in spring or summer of the following year.
Remember, the EEOC often adjusts deadlines and clarifies categorization rules, sometimes at the last minute. Make sure you check the official EEOC website for the most current guidance as the filing window approaches.
Some states also have local requirements. For example, both California and Massachusetts plan to implement additional filing guidelines by 2027. HR leaders should stay updated on state and federal laws to ensure compliance.
Who’s Required to File?
The EEO-1 Survey must be filed by:
- All private employers with 100 or more employees
- All federal contractors and first-tier subcontractors with 50 or more employees
- All federal contractors holding a contract of $50,000 or more
- Federal government contractors serving as depositories of government funds
- Financial institutions that serve as issuing and paying agents for U.S. Savings Bonds and Savings Notes in any amount
Small businesses below these thresholds are exempt from EEO-1 reporting.
Multi-establishment employers with multiple locations may need to file separate reports for each establishment, plus a consolidated report. The EEOC defines an establishment as an economic unit producing goods or services, such as a factory, office, or store.
What’s the Purpose of the EEO-1 Report?
Government officials use EEO-1 data as an analytical tool. By tracking employment patterns, the EEOC can identify bias more easily.
This data supports the EEOC’s mission to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. When experts find unusual demographic patterns in specific industries or regions, it’s often a sign of a problem.
Researchers, advocates, and policymakers also use aggregated EEO-1 data to study employment trends and propose policy reforms.
EEOC Reporting Requirements
HR must follow specific rules about data collection, categorization, and submission when filing an EEO-1 report.
Number of Employees
EEO-1 reports are required to list the number of employees at your company. Count all employees who worked during a pay period in the fourth quarter, also known as the snapshot period. Include both full-time and part-time workers on your payroll during that period.
Include temporary workers if your company directly employs them, but exclude workers from temporary agencies or staffing firms. Independent contractors don’t appear on EEO-1 reports because federal law doesn’t classify them as employees.
Snapshot Period Details
The EEOC requires employers to collect workforce data during a snapshot period each fall. For the 2026 filing, you’ll report on employees who worked during a pay period between October 1through December 31, 2025.
Your workforce might change between data collection in fall 2025 and the filing deadline in spring or summer 2026. Report the demographics as they existed during your snapshot period, not as they exist when you file.
Data Collected
Every EEO-1 report must organize employees by job category, race/ethnicity, and sex.
- Job Category: The EEOC recognizes 10 job categories ranging from executive and senior-level officials to service workers.
- Race/Ethnicity: These categories include Hispanic or Latino, White, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Two or More Races.
- Sex: The report separates employees into two categories: male and female. (Note that the option to include nonbinary employees was eliminated in 2025, in advance of 2024 data collection.)
Self-Identification
Employees should self-identify their race, ethnicity, and sex whenever possible. Employers are required to invite all employees to voluntarily provide this information through confidential surveys or forms. If employees decline to self-identify, employers should make their best judgment based on visual observation, employment records, or other available information.
Filing Methods
Employers file EEO-1 reports electronically through the EEO-1 Component 1 Online Filing System. The commission no longer accepts paper reports, and the online portal offers two filing options: manual data entry or bulk upload.
Small employers with simple structures can enter data directly into web forms. Larger employers with multiple establishments often upload data files in the EEOC’s specified format.
What Is the Deadline for EEO-1 Reporting?
The deadlines for covered employers to report 2025 data have not yet been announced. In the past few years, reporting has opened between April and October.
For over 50 years before 2018, employers were required to submit the EEO-1 report by September 30 of each year.
But since 2018, it’s been hard to predict annual EEO-1 reporting deadlines because the dates change regularly. For instance:
- In 2018, the reporting date changed to March 31.
- In 2019 and 2020, the deadline was delayed until October 25.
- In 2021, the deadline for 2021 filing was April 12, but the filing window for 2022 data didn’t open until October 31, 2023.
- In 2024, the data collection window opened on April 30 and closed on July 9.
In 2025, the filing window opened on May 20and closed on June 24. The bottom line is: employers should always ready their data as early as possible and be prepared for the window to open at any point.
California Pay Data Reporting
In September 2022, California passed Senate Bill 1162 (or SB112), which expanded the requirements for annual pay data reports.
Its main purpose is to reinforce pay transparency and counter workplace discrimination. SB1162 requires covered employers (with 15 or more employees) to publish pay scales with job postings and retain certain pay records. The California law aligns with established laws in several other states, including Washington, New York, Nevada, Colorado, Maryland, and Connecticut.
This law builds upon the previous Senate Bill 973, which required California employers with 100 or more employees to file pay data reporting by race and gender to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing by May 10, 2023. Senate Bill 1162 requires employers who hired 100 or more labor contractors to file a separate report identifying those workers. The labor contractors must also provide pay data to the reporting employers.
These laws are complex at best, and they change all the time. They’re also slightly different in every U.S. state.
How to File an EEO-1 Report
Filing an EEO-1 report has several steps. Here’s how the process works:
1. Create an Account for EEO-1
First-time filers should register for an account on the EEOC’s reporting portal when it opens. The registration process requires basic company information, including your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) if applicable.
2. Gather Employee Data
Collect demographic data for all employees who worked during your snapshot period in the fourth quarter of 2025. Pull this information from your HRIS, payroll system, or employee self-identification surveys.
If your company operates multiple locations, organize employees by establishment.
Then, categorize each employee into the appropriate EEO-1 job category using the commission’s definitions. Job titles don’t always map neatly to federal categories, so review the EEOC’s guidelines carefully.
3. Log in to EEO-1 Reporting System
Access the EEOC’s reporting portal during the filing window. The system will walk you through a series of questions about company structure and employment counts.
For multi-establishment companies, the portal will prompt you to create separate reports for each location plus a headquarters report. The system will then validate your entries to catch obvious errors like missing data or mathematical inconsistencies.
4. Finalize and Submit EEO-1 Report
Before submitting, review your completed report carefully. Check that employee counts match your payroll records and that demographic breakdowns are accurate.
Once you submit, the EEOC will process your filing and send a confirmation.
Note: Save your confirmation email and any other filing receipts. These documents can help you prove compliance if questions ever come up in the future. The EEOC also archives previous submissions in your account, so you can reference historical data when you prepare your report.
How to Gather Your Employee EEO-1 Reporting Data
Your EEO-1 report is only as good as the data so HR should set up systematic data collection processes well in advance of the filing deadline. These strategies can help you:
- Run employee self-identification campaigns throughout the year.
- Store demographic data in your HRIS.
- Run data quality checks before the filing window opens.
- Document your data collection and categorization decisions.
How Paycor Helps with EEO-1 Reporting Requirements
Paycor is an HCM software that helps businesses maintain pristine employee demographic data, and our comprehensive tools streamline the entire EEO-1 reporting process, from data collection through final submission.
When filing season comes around, Paycor empowers HR to generate reports in just a few clicks, instead of spending days compiling data from multiple sources.
Paycor also has compliance solutions built to support requirements beyond EEO-1 reporting.
Use Paycor for EEO-1 Reporting Assistance
Annual compliance reporting shouldn’t consume weeks of HR’s time or give you anxiety. Paycor’s HCM software empowers leaders to complete EEO-1 reporting efficiently and accurately, well in advance of the deadline.
Want to take the complexity out of compliance? Schedule a guided tour to see how Paycor can support your EEO-1 reporting today.
EEO-1 Reporting FAQs
Get easy answers to HR’s most common questions about EEO-1 reporting.
What is the threshold for EEOC reporting?
Private employers must file EEO-1 reports if they have 100 or more employees. Federal contractors and subcontractors must file if they have 50 or more employees and hold a qualifying federal contract worth at least $50,000.
What are the EEOC reporting requirements?
EEOC reporting requirements include:
1. Collecting employee demographic data during a fourth-quarter snapshot period
2. Categorizing employees by job category, race/ethnicity, and sex
3. Filing electronically through the EEOC’s portal during the filing window.
Note: Employers are obligated to invite employees to self-identify their demographic data
Should part-time employees be included in EEO-1 reporting?
Yes, count all part-time employees who appear on your payroll during the snapshot period. The EEO-1 report captures your entire workforce regardless of their full-time or part-time status.
How do I file an EEO-1 report?
File through the EEOC’s online portal. Create an account, gather your employee demographic data, log in during the filing window, complete the required forms, and submit electronically. The system provides confirmation once your filing is complete.
What is the penalty for not filing?
The EEOC can issue subpoenas to compel filing and may refer non-compliant employers to the Department of Justice. Non-compliance can trigger investigations and result in legal issues and expensive penalties.
Do part-time employees need to be included?
Yes, HR should include all employees working part-time hours on payroll during the snapshot period. The EEOC does not distinguish between full-time and part-time employees for reporting purposes.