Press Release  Human Resources Division Audit Identifies Need to Meet Affirmative Action and Diversity Goals

Boston — Today, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s Office released an audit of the Human Resources Division (HRD), which reviewed the period from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022.

The audit examined whether HRD ensured that other state entities submitted affirmative action and diversity plans, as well as annual progress reports on the actions taken toward meeting affirmative action and diversity goals. This audit found that HRD was unable to ensure that plans and reports were submitted in a timely fashion.

The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) was established in 2003 by Executive Order (EO) 452, within HRD, with the purpose of recruiting, hiring, and retaining individuals of all backgrounds into every level of government. EO 452 was superseded by EOs 478, 526 and, most recently, 592, reaffirming the Commonwealth’s commitment to advance workforce diversity, inclusion, equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action. ODEO is responsible for ensuring that state entities comply with EO 592, and one measure for this is to establish the due dates for the submission of affirmative action plans, diversity plans, and annual progress reports.

The audit found that most of the state entities reviewed in our sample failed to submit affirmative action and diversity plans by the deadline, with some plans being late by almost a year. Additionally, some entities submitted their annual progress reports late and HRD was unable to locate reports that were submitted as hard copies. In one instance, HRD failed to follow up with a state entity to verify that they had been working towards the goals outlined in their respective affirmative action plan.

“We are greatly appreciative of the work that the Human Resources Division does to improve work environments for the Commonwealth,” said Auditor DiZoglio. “This audit has identified areas for improvement and it is our hope that the Administration continues to work alongside our office to implement the recommendations given in the audit report.

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