Biden Administration Releases Equity Action Plans

By Laura Walling, Senior Director of Government Relations, Goodwill Industries International

On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government which directed the Federal Government to advance an ambitious whole-of-government equity agenda. As a result, over 90 federal agencies across the federal government, including all Cabinet-level agencies as well as over 50 independent agencies, recently released Equity Action Plans which outline steps being taken to improve equity and racial justice. The plans were created based on findings from agency equity assessments, and include accountability mechanisms, success metrics, and key milestones.

A White House fact sheet states, “These plans are an important step forward, reflecting the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to make the promise of America real for every American, including communities of color, Tribal communities, rural communities, LGBTQI+ communities, people with disabilities, women and girls, and communities impacted by persistent poverty. They are part of a broader equity agenda, which also includes implementing the first-ever national strategy on gender equity and equality; working to ensure the federal government is a model for diversity equity, inclusion and accessibility in the workforce; delivering environmental justice through the Justice40 Initiative; and advancing LGBTQI+ civil rights.”

Thru implementing the plans, federal agencies aim to: reduce administrative burdens and simplify government services; engage with stakeholders and communities who have been historically excluded from policy-making processes; narrow wealth gaps through federal contracting and procurement; conduct equitable grantmaking; and build accountability for equity through data collection and reporting.

The Department of Labor’s plan contains the following new strategies to advance equity:

• Advance fairness for underserved workers by equitably implementing the Nation’s wage and hour protections
• Launch a comprehensive initiative to address systemic barriers to accessing Unemployment Insurance for underserved workers, including workers of color
• Ensure workers with limited English proficiency are fully aware of their rights and can access workplace protections
• Deliver equitable access to workforce training for historically underserved workers and job seekers to address persistently high unemployment rates faced by communities of color and other underserved communities
• Develop Registered Apprenticeships that create equitable pipelines into federal employment so that the federal workforce reflects the diversity of the Nation
Of note, the Department of Commerce’s plan aims to close the digital divide and the Department of Education prioritizes college access and college completion.
As a trusted service provider in many underserved communities, Goodwill stands ready to partner with these agencies as they work to implement their equity action plans.