In September of 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission wrote a nearly 3,500-word report to federal agencies on how to improve Form 462 reporting. The report outlined where those responsible for filling out Form 462 needed to improve and how providing inaccurate information could “affect the integrity of the federal EEO program.”
“Arguably the most dire consequence of inaccurate reporting is its effect on federal employees and applicants. EEOC's regulations set forth deadlines for each step of the EEO process,” the agency wrote. “Timely completion of each step in the EEO process is critical in order to avoid substantially increasing case inventories and workloads, to ensure that documents and testimony are available and more reliable, and to promote fairness by demonstrating to complainants that the agency is committed to expeditious complaint resolution.”
At the time, the EEOC said the Form 462 filers failed to provide consistent data, lacked intra-agency communication, and did not do due diligence.
A System that Needs Improvement
Nearly seven years later and it is hard to say that Form 462 reporting has improved. This is not the fault of those filling out the forms, but a flaw in the system. Agencies still rely on outdated methods of collecting and providing this data, using things like Excel spreadsheets and Sharepoint platforms to organize data. Add in the fact these agency offices are likely understaffed and face a growing backlog of cases, and it is no wonder that more than 40 agencies missed their Form 462 deadline last year.
Form 462 comprises 12 different parts. To make sure that every component is filled out with timely and accurate information, federal agencies need to look at the tools used to gather this information and to better manage employee complaints.
Leveraging Years of Expertise
That is why Symplicity has brought our Advocate grievance management system to the federal government. Our products have been used by more than 41 million users around the world, including more than 1,300 institutions.
The goal is to bring clarity and transparency to the complaint and grievance process, so that employee complaints get addressed in an adequate and timely manner, managers are consistently aware of outstanding complaints that require action, and human resource leaders can track cases and run reports that can provide data for reporting measures like Form 462.
Advocate brings this together in one platform, allowing agencies to more quickly and efficiently manage cases. This organizational capability can help bring an end to backlogs, along with make it easier to accurately fill out Form 462. By doing so, federal agencies can ensure that they provide the right information to the EEOC.
We understand the challenges that Form 462 filers face. It is not an easy process and one that has built in challenges. Being able to accurately fill out this form, though, is important. Employees need to ensure their cases are managed properly and the EEOC uses this data to make larger decisions of future regulations and programs.
For those interested in learning more, email info@symplicity.com.
