80-20 Educational Foundation ("80-20") and Stand with Asian Americans ("SwAA") to Testify at the EEOC Public Hearing on the Importance of Data Reporting for Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling and to Hold Press Conference Thereafter

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") has scheduled a public hearing on August 11, 2026, 10AM EDT, to discuss its proposal to remove reporting requirements for the filing of EEO-1 through 6 reports (the "Proposed Rule"). These reports require that private companies with more than 100 employees and certain other federal, state & local government, educational institutions, and labor groups to provide certain details as to their workforce's race, ethnicity, and sex.

For decades, organizations like ours have depended on employer demographic reporting broken out by job category to help uncover potential inequities impacting Asian American workers. For example, the graph was constructed using publicly available EEO-1 report data and shows the significant disparity that exists between the number of Asian American professionals working at major companies and the number of Asian Americans at those same companies that occupy executive and c-suite level roles, illustrating the so-called "Bamboo Ceiling."

Such data is foundational to the work of our organizations and in the defense against discriminatory practices. Therefore, we firmly oppose the EEOC's proposal to remove the reporting requirements.

Statements from 80-20 & SwAA Leadership

S.B. Woo, former Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (1985-1989) and Founding President of 80-20, has three questions for the EEOC: "(1) Would it be possible for my organization, the 80-20 Educational Foundation, to construct such graphs, WITHOUT the EEO-1 data?; (2) Would it be possible for us to monitor the Bamboo Ceilings in the high-tech industry in the future, WITHOUT the EEO-1 data?; (3) With such strong evidence of Bamboo Ceilings throughout the industry, why is it 'very hard to enforce' the EEOC's rules? QED!"

"Rescinding these reports would remove a critical tool from the EEOC and employers in identifying and addressing workplace discrimination, regardless of a worker's background. For Asian American workers in particular, demographic reporting broken out by job category is the principal means by which promotion and advancement disparities become visible. The Commission should sharpen this instrument, not scrap it." – Rachel Lee, President & General Counsel of Stand with Asian Americans.

If permitted, 80-20 and SwAA intend to provide individual testimony at the EEOC public hearing and will submit their respective comments on the Proposed Rule.

Public Hearing & Press Conference

We invite members of the public and media to attend the public hearing and our joint press conference.

The public hearing will be held on August 11, 2026, 10 AM EDT, at the U.S. EEOC, 131 M Street NE, Jacqueline A. Berrien Training Center, Washington, D.C. 20507.

The press conference will take place on August 11, 2026, at 1 PM EDT in the Bloomberg Room at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

For inquiries, please contact: Yiang Chen via email ([email protected]) or phone (401-432-5470).

About 80-20

The 80-20 Educational Foundation (80-20) is a non-profit organization devoted to furthering equal opportunity in the workplace and equal justice for Asian Americans.  It has fought against the bamboo ceiling for over 30 years. Learn more at: https://www.80-20ef.org/.

About Stand with Asian Americans

Stand with Asian Americans (SwAA) is America's first legal civil rights organization focused primarily on fighting anti-Asian workplace discrimination through the power of law, education, and community. Learn more at: https://StandwithAsianAmericans.com/.

SOURCE 80-20 Educational Foundation