As a federal contractor, the university is required to complete statistical analyses of its workforce on an annual basis. In support of this requirement, applicants are given the chance to voluntarily disclose their disability status, ethnicity, protected veteran status, sex, and race at the time of application and hire.
For the purposes of affirmative action reporting, the following definitions apply:
Disability
Refers to a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual or a record of such impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment. The impairment can be a disability even if episodic or in remission. Examples of a major life activity that may be substantially limited may include but are not limited to walking, talking, seeing, hearing, learning, or operation of a major bodily/mental function.
Disability status can be self-disclosed at any time utilizing the Workday system. For more information on what constitutes a disability and how to self-identify for reporting purposes visit:
https://go.osu.edu/disability-selfid
Ethnicity
Refers to shared attributes of a group of people who identify with each other. These shared attributes distinguish them from other groups and include elements such as a common set of traditions, ancestry, language, history, society, culture, nation, religion, or social treatment within their residing area.
- Currently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) only recognizes one ethnicity for reporting purposes:
- Hispanic or Latino: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Protected Veteran Status
As defined under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), is someone who served in the active military, discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, and meets the following criteria: disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, active-duty wartime or campaign badge veteran, and Armed Forces service medal veteran.
For more information visit: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/posters/Infographics/files/ProtectedVet-2016-11x17_ENGESQA508c.pdf
Race
Physical characteristics that are associated with people regarded to be of the same ancestry (e.g., hair texture, skin color, or certain facial features).
For the purposes of reporting, the EEOC identifies the following races:
- White (not Hispanic or Latino): A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.
- Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino): A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
- Asian (not Hispanic or Latino): A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asian, or the Indian subcontinent including for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- American Indian/Alaskan Native (not Hispanic or Latino): A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (not Hispanic or Latino): A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
Sex
An individual’s biological makeup, including genitalia, genetic differences, and sex characteristics. Typically, sex includes male, female, and intersex. Currently, for reporting purposes, the EEOC only recognizes male and female.
Additional Resources:
The university’s Non-Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy identifies additional protected classes. For more information visit:
https://equity.osu.edu/protected-class-definitions
Policies:
Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity: https://go.osu.edu/aaeeo-policy
Non-Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct: https://go.osu.edu/non-discrimination-policy