Voluntary Self-Identification of Demographic Information
Virginia Tech is subject to certain nondiscrimination and affirmative action recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
The university asks job applicants and employees to voluntarily self-identify demographic information, including whether or not they have a disability, race and ethnicity, and military status. Providing this demographic information is voluntary; however, we encourage applicants and employees to review their information and update it if needed.
Any demographic information reported in university systems will be kept completely confidential and may only be used in accordance with the provisions of applicable federal laws, executive orders, and regulations, including those that require the demographic information to be summarized and reported to the federal government for civil rights enforcement purposes.
Why we collect demographic information
Disability and Military Status
Consistent with federal law, Virginia Tech takes affirmative action to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals with disabilities and military status. Data from self-identification is used to evaluate the university’s efforts in assuring access, hiring, promotional, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities and military status. Information provided by applicants and employees will be treated completely confidentiality and will not be used in a manner inconsistent with federal regulations.
- Disability Status: See Virginia Tech’s ADA and Accessibility Services website for more information on disabilities, including the ADA definition of an individual with a disability.
- Military Status: As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002, 38 U.S.C. 4212 (VEVRAA), Virginia Tech requests that applicants and employees self-identify their military status in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake. Additionally, the university is required to submit a report to the U.S. Department of Labor each year identifying the number of our employees belonging to each specified “military status” category. See the United States Department of Labor’s website for more information.
Ethnicity/Race
Virginia Tech asks applicants and employees to provide ethnicity and race information in order to measure our progress toward our university’s affirmative action plans. More information on race and ethnicity definitions is available on the HudsonMann Affirmative Action Knowledge Base.
Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity employer. View the university’s Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement.
How to update demographic information
To update demographic information, employees can log into Hokie Spa and select the Hokie Team tab then select the following links:
- To update disability information: Update Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Information
- To update ethnicity/race: Update Ethnicity and Race
- To update miitary status: Military Classification
Voluntary Self-Identification Frequently Asked Questions
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) enforces laws that protect the rights of job applicants and employees. Virginia Tech is considered a federal contractor and, because we conduct business with the federal government, must abide by the laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or any other basis protected by law.
The information collected on the self-identification forms is used:
- For government compliance and reporting purposes. Assist with nondiscrimination and affirmative action recordkeeping and reporting requirements, which requires us to invite applicants and employees to voluntarily self-identify their demographic information.
- To help the university assess the effectiveness of recruitment efforts over time and improve recruitment strategies as needed.
Once you provide the voluntary, self-identification demographic information, the information is stored securely, apart from other personnel information so that confidentiality is maintained. Access to this data is limited to the Office for Equity and Accessibility Affirmative Action team, personnel who have a need to collect this information for the purpose of complying with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regulations and reporting the data in the aggregate. This information will not be provided to managers/supervisors, recruiters, or hiring officials.
Even if you have self-identified your demographic information previously, either as an applicant or as an employee, please take a moment to review, and update as necessary your information in Hokie Spa. Doing so ensures that we have the most up-to-date and accurate information.