Business & Finance
Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
Also called: Affirmative Action Officer (AA Officer), Civil Rights Investigator, Civil Rights Representative, Complaint Investigations Officer
US median pay
$80,730
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+3.8%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
32,700
436,400 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
What they do day to day
- Investigate employment practices or alleged violations of laws to document and correct discriminatory factors.
- Prepare reports related to investigations of equal opportunity complaints.
- Interview persons involved in equal opportunity complaints to verify case information.
- Study equal opportunity complaints to clarify issues.
- Interpret civil rights laws and equal opportunity regulations for individuals or employers.
- Meet with persons involved in equal opportunity complaints to arbitrate and settle disputes.
- Develop guidelines for nondiscriminatory employment practices.
- Monitor the implementation and impact of guidelines for nondiscriminatory employment practices.
- Coordinate, monitor, or revise complaint procedures to ensure timely processing and review of complaints.
- Provide information, technical assistance, or training to supervisors, managers, or employees on topics such as employee supervision, hiring, grievance procedures, or staff development.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Systems Evaluation3.2/5
- Systems Analysis3.2/5
- Persuasion3.2/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Coordination3.1/5
Knowledge
- Law and Government4.4/5
- English Language4.0/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.8/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.4/5
- Administration and Management3.3/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree66%
- Some college14%
- Master's degree12%
Who this job suits
Mostly Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.