On July 21, 2026, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), by a 2-1 vote, issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would rescind annual EEO data reporting requirements for employers and other covered entities. If finalized, the rule would eliminate the obligation to submit annual workforce demographic reports—commonly known as EEO-1, EEO-2, EEO-3, EEO-4, EEO-5, and EEO-6 reports—and related recordkeeping requirements tied to those reports. 

The NPRM will be published in the Federal Register for a 30-day public comment period. A copy of the NPRM can also be found on the EEOC’s website. 

Public comments can be submitted through www.regulations.gov. In addition, a public hearing will be held on Aug. 11, 2026. Requests to testify at the hearing should be submitted by Aug. 7, 2026 through www.regulations.gov.  

For employers, the proposal is significant but should not be viewed as the final word on workforce demographic reporting. Even if federal annual EEO reporting obligations are rescinded, employers may still face EEOC requests for demographic information, Title VII related recordkeeping obligations, state mandated demographic reporting requirements, and there is always the possibility that future EEOC leadership could revisit or reinstate the collection requirement. 

What Does it Mean 

If approved, the proposed rescission would be a significant change to a reporting framework that has been in place for decades. Since 1966, covered employers have submitted EEO-1 reports reflecting workforce demographic data across millions of employees nationwide. Eliminating that annual collection would mark a major shift in how the EEOC gathers broad-based workforce data. 

But the practical impact may be narrower than it first appears. Rescission would affect the federal annual reporting obligation; it would not eliminate employment discrimination claims, EEOC investigations, state reporting mandates or an employer’s need to respond to litigation-related requests for relevant workforce information. Specifically, California and Coloradoi employers will see little impact as both states require certain private employers to submit EEO-1 type demographic data, even if federal EEO-1 reporting ends.  

In short, the NPRM may narrow federal reporting obligations, but it does not eliminate the legal, regulatory, and practical significance of workforce demographic data.