changing demographic landscape national and north carolina

Changing Demographic Landscape

National and North Carolina

Prepared by the Office of State Personnel, 2007

National Context People of color are expected to comprise

nearly half of the US population by the year 2050. This is a significant shift in the country’s racial and ethnic mix.

Some states, including Texas, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia have already reached a situation with a majority of their population from minority racial/ethnic groups.


National Context

Race/Ethnicity 1995 2050

White 74% 53%

Blacks 12% 14%

Hispanics 10% 24%

Asian 3% 8%

American Indian 1% 1%

Source: US Census Bureau


North Carolina Context Between April 1990 and April 2000, North

Carolina’s population grew by 21.3% (or 1.414 million people).

By 2005, North Carolina’s population was estimated at 8,856,505, representing a growth rate of 7.9% from 2000 and making it the 10th largest state in the nation.

More than 21% of North Carolina’s population was black, outpacing the national percentage of 12.3%.


North Carolina Context North Carolina’s Hispanic

population grew to more than 550,000 between 2000 and 2005, a 46 percent rise. It was the fifth-largest jump in Hispanic population in the nation, behind Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina and South Dakota.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Workforce Demographics


Officials and Administrators

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales

DENRLabor ForcePopulation

N=109


Professionals

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=1,447


Management Related

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=104


Technical

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=276


Administrative Support

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=477


Law Enforcement

0102030405060708090

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=184


Service

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=156


Skilled Craft

0102030405060708090

WhiteMales

WhiteFemales

BlackMales

BlackFemales


N=595

Test Your Knowledge

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)


Test Your Knowledge - EEO

1) Do affirmative employment practices require the hiring of less qualified women and minorities in order to fulfill employment objectives?



1) Do affirmative employment practices require the hiring of less qualified women and minorities in order to fulfill employment objectives?

No. Affirmative employment goals set targeted hiring for qualified minorities and women. No one should hire unqualified applicants to meet a goal.



2) What is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?



2) What is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, national origin, color and religion. It also is unlawful for an employer to take retaliatory action against individuals for opposing unlawful employment practices.



3) Aren’t there seven protected categories? Title VII only establishes five. What gives?



3) Aren’t there seven protected categories? Title VII only establishes five. What gives?

There are seven categories. Age was added in 1967 by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (40+) and disability was added in 1990 by the Americans with Disabilities Act.



4) Do EEO laws apply to white males?



4) Do EEO laws apply to white males?

Absolutely. EEO laws apply equally to white males as any other demographic group. In fact, white males make the highest percentage of age discrimination claims and the second highest percentage of disability claims.



5) Are EEO laws applicable in today’s “politically correct” environment?



5) Are EEO laws applicable in today’s “politically correct” environment?

Absolutely. In FY 2006, these charges were made:

Age – 16,548 Disability – 15,575 Race – 27,238 Religion – 2,541 Gender – 23,247 Sexual Harassment – 12,025

Source: EEOC



6) Who can be a victim of sexual harassment and who can be a perpetrator of sexual harassment?



6) Who can be a victim of sexual harassment and who can be a perpetrator of sexual harassment?

The victim can be a man or woman. The harasser can be a man or woman. The victim and harasser do not have to be of opposite sex. The victim can be the person harassed or anyone affected by the offensive conduct. The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employee, a co-worker, or a non-employee.



7) Are there wrong questions to ask during an employment interview?



7) Are there wrong questions to ask during an employment interview?

Absolutely. Questions such as “Are you married?”, “What are the circumstances of your medical condition?”, “How old are you?”, and “When do you plan to retire?” are just some of the many questions which should not be asked in an employment interview.



8) Can I refuse to hire a female applicant because she is pregnant? Let’s face it, she’ll be going out on leave as soon as she arrives and that isn’t fair to other employees.



8) Can I refuse to hire a female applicant because she is pregnant? Let’s face it, she’ll be going out on leave as soon as she arrives and that isn’t fair to other employees.

No. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) protects women against such practices as being fired, or refused a job or promotion, merely because she is pregnant.



9) What are the maternity leave provisions in the U.S.?



9) What are the maternity leave provisions in the U.S.?

None. The U.S. and Australia are the only industrialized countries without a nationally paid leave system for new mothers. FMLA provides 12 weeks paid or unpaid, but only to larger employers.



10) What are the EEO protections related to sexual orientation?



10) What are the EEO protections related to sexual orientation?

There are none. No federal law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. North Carolina does not offer any workplace protections based on sexual orientation. Other states do:

States that prohibit discrimination – 17 and DCState with an Executive Order protecting public employees- 10

SOURCE: Human Rights Campaign. Workplace Study 2006

changing demographic landscape national and north carolina

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