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THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY

The Office of Diversity, Equity Inclusion and Accessibility (ODEIA) is responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, and evaluating all program activities related to DEIA. Formally known as the Office of Diversity and Inclusions, ODEIA has taken new shape to reflect requirements outlined in Executive Order 14035, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”.

HUD’s executive leaders and DEIA Business partners work closely to advance DEIA as the core values of the organization and its strategic human capital objectives. We also examine current policies, data trends and employee survey findings that affect the management of HR practices, to ensure that HUD recruits and retains talented individuals from all communities. Our goal is to implement our comprehensive strategic plan to drive and integrate DEIA practices throughout HUD, and to help build a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workforce that represents all individuals and cultures, all while complying with merit principles and applicable Federal laws.

ODEIA assists HUD program offices in accomplishing their varied missions as they develop a strategic focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility allowing them to prepare for shifting workplace demographics, improved services to all populations, and innovation for the future.

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Commitment

We recognize the true value of diversity is the potential to increase group intelligence. We know the real benefit of inclusion as a management strategy is to successfully bring together diverse groups of ideas, identities, and information to improve employee engagement and solve difficult problems. Implicit in all this is the notion that DEIA goes well beyond race, gender, and diversity of thought. However, it is the inextricable ink between who we are and how we think that makes the fundamental ingredients which drives organization performance.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are the cornerstone of high organizational performance. Therefore, all executives, managers, supervisors, and employees are called upon to be role models who exhibit behaviors of acceptance, inclusion, and accountability. To this end, all individuals are welcome at HUD regardless of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, family medical history, genetic information, political affiliation, and military service or non-merit-based factors.

 

HUD DEIA Priorities and Requirements

Safe Workplace

 

Create a framework to address workplace harassment and promote training, preventive programs, and monitoring to create a culture that does not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.

 

Chief Diversity Officer

 

Establish or elevate Chief Diversity Officers within agencies to promote diversity and inclusion within the workforce.

 

Data Collection

 

Improve the collection of voluntarily self-reported demographic data to take an evidence-based approach to reducing potential barriers in hiring, promotion, professional development, and retention practices.

 

DEIA Training and Learning

 

Expand the availability of DEIA training and have the tools to promote respectful and inclusive workplaces

 

Promoting Paid Internship

 

Remove barriers for low-income and first-generation professionals, expanding paid internship opportunities

 

Partnership and Recruitment

 

Establish new recruitment partnerships to build a more diverse pipeline into public service and facilitate recruitment

 

Professional Development and Advancement

 

Advance equity and transparency in professional development opportunities

 

Advancing Equity for Employee with Disability

 

Serve as a model employer for employees with disabilities by coordinating efforts across the federal government to develop processes to increase accessibility and reduce barriers to employment.

 

Advancing Equity for LBGTQI+ Employees

 

Advance equity for LGBTQI+ employees by striving to ensure that the federal health benefits system equitably serves all LGBTQI+ employees and their families, expanding the usage of gender markers and pronouns that respect transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary employees, and working to create a more inclusive workplace

Pay Equity

 

Advance pay equity so that public servants are fairly compensated for their talents, including federal employees who may face discrimination based on race or gender, and working with agencies to review and, if necessary, revise job classifications and compensation practices.

 

Expanding Employment Opportunities for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

 

Assess potential barriers that formerly incarcerated individuals face when seeking federal employment and seek to expand job opportunities for individuals with past convictions.

 
 

 

Ways to Advance Workplace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Work - The relationship I have with the work I do, the norms, methods and tools I use to get work done, and how my work strengthens me. People - The relationship I have with customers I serve, the people I manage, report to, collaborate with, partner with, and engage with in my work community. Places - The relationship I have with where I do work and the physical space in which work gets done. Well-Being - The relationship I have with my personal life, identities goals, and worldview and my ability to bring my whole, authentic self to work. Organization - The relationship I have with the mission, purpose, culture, and leadership behaviors of the organization, and its policies, programs, ad rewards. Technology - The relationship I have with the technologies that connect me to my work, workforce and workplace.