All employees are encouraged to self-identify. Temporary employees, affiliates, and student employees do not need to participate in this campaign. 

Self-identification is an important tool to produce data needed to accurately measure employment progress. Also, the federal government has issued regulations requiring federal contractors to practice equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for women, ethnic and racial minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. UTA is a federal contractor and is required to reach out to all employees and provide them the opportunity to self-identify periodically.   

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance regulations require federal contractors like UTA to collect and report annually on the number of protected class members (females, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities [IWDs]) who apply for positions as well as the number of protected class members hired, promoted, and separated by the organization. Accuracy of this data is extremely important for compliance purposes.

Yes, though in a different manner. This information is commonly requested by employers during the hiring process, usually within the employment application itself. All  U.S. employers with fifty employees are required by law to request these disclosures. 

Your status may have changed. For example, a disability may occur at any time.  It may also be the case that federal regulations status choices may have been updated since you disclosed this information.  Finally, anyone who has not previously disclosed their protected class status may do so now, if they choose.

 

We are offering you the opportunity and choice to review and update all your demographic information.

No. The opportunity to report your protected class status is optional, voluntary, and confidential. Individuals who elect not to disclose this information will not be subjected to any negative action. 

The information you provide can be accessed only by select individuals within UTA and a limited number of other offices where job duties require use of the information. This information is not released except as necessary to fulfill legitimate UTA federally mandated objectives. 

The federal government considers “Hispanic/Latino” to be a national origin category, and not a race category. Under the new guidelines, an individual can be Hispanic/Latino AND white, for example, or Hispanic/Latino AND black/African American.  The federal government requires us first to ask whether employees are Hispanic/Latino, and then to ask employees to identify their race. 

A Hispanic or Latino person is of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. The term "Spanish origin" can be used in addition to Hispanic or Latino. 

The current federal categories are: 

• 1. White - having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa 
  2. Black or African American - having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. 
  3. Asian - having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam 
  4. American Indian or Alaska Native – having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment. 
  5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

You may select as many categories that apply. 

You are not required to disclose information about your disability.  Please be assured, however, that if you do disclose this information, it will be strictly confidential and will not be shared with your supervisor, manager, or others within your department.  Additionally, no one at UTA can treat you adversely or take any action against you for having a disability.  With your permission, this information may be shared with emergency management personnel if you require evacuation assistance in the event of an emergency. 

Yes.  As long as your disability affects any major life activity, you still may report it.  This is the case even if you are not requesting reasonable accommodations. This information helps the university understand the overall composition of our workforce. 

Federal contractors are required to take affirmative steps to recruit and hire protected veterans.  The federal government has instituted new requirements that include a periodic resurvey of employees’ veteran status. 

The federal government defines “protected veterans” under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), which was originally passed in 1974.  It has since updated the definition of “protected veterans” to include the following categories: 

• 1. ARMED FORCES MEDAL VETERAN—Any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985. 
  2. DISABLED VETERAN—A veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability. 
  3. ACTIVE DUTY WARTIME OR CAMPAIGN BADGE VETERAN—A veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, under the laws administered by 
  4. RECENTLY SEPARATED VETERANS:  Any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service. For purposes of the survey, UTA must comply with the definition of “protected veteran” provided by the federal government. 

Please contact the Office of Talent, Culture, and Engagement at AskHR@uta.edu