b'constructionfirmstofosteramoreinclusivework environment for underrepresented people, the 110-pagereportconcluded,Nevertheless,discrimina-EEOC report beratestion remains a substantial barrier to entry, retention Construction for discriminationand advancement of women and people of color in constructiondecadesaftertheCivilRightsActof 1964outlawedrace,sexandnationalorigin After a yearlong investigation, the agency saysdiscrimination by employers and unions. construction stands out from other industries for egregious incidents of harassment. By:Joe Bousquin, Senior EditorThe report broke down the underrepresentation of women and people of color in the sector, noting that womenmakeup11%ofallworkersinthe constructionworkforceincludingofficeandclerical positions and 4% of tradesworkers. Black peoplemakeup7%ofconstructionworkers,compared to 13% in the general workforce. AndwhileBureauofLaborStatisticsdataconsistently shows that around a third of construc-tion workers are Hispanic or Latino, thereport said that within the industrys ranks, Black and Hispanic orLatinoemployeesweredisproportionatelyconcentrated in lower-paying positions.EEOC received at least 64 charges involving nooses in the construction industry between fiscal years 2015 and 2022.Jon Frederick/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty ImagesA vicious cycle of exclusion Thereportsaidthesetypesof discrepanciesbetween Capping a year of hearings and increased scrutiny ontheindustrys87%Whiteand89%maleworkerssexualand racialdiscriminationin theconstructioncontributedtoaviciouscycleoffewerunder-industry,theEqualEmploymentOpportunityrepresentedindividualsbeinghiredforavailable Commission issued a report Wednesday laying barepositions.Foryears,thesectorhasstruggledtofill the continued prevalence of hate and bias on buildingopen jobs, the number of which increasedby68,000 jobsites. in April.Harassment is pervasive on many jobsites and poses a The agency called out the appearance of nooses andsignificant barrier to the recruitment and retention of hatespeechonprojects,includingreferencesto womenandworkersofcolorintheindustry,the slavery and lynching, while saying the sector stoodreport stated.outfromotherindustriesfortheuniqueanddeplorable nature of the biased actions that occurredIt cited a2021surveyofover2,600tradeswomen toward women and workers of color. EEOC receivedthat found nearly one in four women reported experi-atleast64chargesinvolvingnoosesintheencing near-constant sexual harassment, while one in construction industry between fiscal years 2015 andfivewomenofcolorreportedalwaysorfrequently2022, the report said.experiencing racial harassment on the job.For years, some of the most egregious incidents ofGoingbeyonditsusualfocusoncivilrights,the harassmentanddiscriminationinvestigatedbytheagencycalledouttheharassmentonjobsitesasa EEOC have arisen in the construction industry, theworkplacesafetyissue,citingevidenceinanreportsaid.Inmanyinstances,menofcolorandacademicstudythatsuggestedanincreasedriskof women of all races and ethnicities face hostile workworkplaceinjuryfortradespeoplewhoexperienceenvironments based on race, national origin, sex orharassment. somecombinationofthesecharacteristics,on(Continued to page 11)jobsites across the country.Whileacknowledgingtheeffortsofsome 6'