Management Directive 715 (MD-715)

MD-715 is the policy guidance that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued in 2003 to all federal agencies, for use in maintaining effective equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs under Section 717 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., and Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 791 et seq.

MD-715 Reports

• NIH MD-715 Report 2023

• NIH MD-715 Report 2022

• NIH MD-715 Report 2021

• NIH MD-715 Report 2020

• NIH MD-715 Report 2019

• NIH MD-715 Report 2018

• NIH MD-715 Report 2017

• NIH MD-715 Report 2016

• NIH MD-715 Report 2015

• NIH MD-715 Report 2014

MD-715 Requirements

• Evaluation of Agency policies, procedures, and practices to identify barriers to EEO

• Development of data driven plans to remove any barriers to EEO

• Reporting annual plans and progress to the EEOC

Six Essential Elements of a Model EEO Program

1. Demonstrated Commitment from Agency Leadership

   • The Agency head must issue a signed policy statement annually affirming the principles of EEO and declaring the Agency’s commitment to a workplace free of discrimination.

   • The Agency must allocate sufficient staffing and other resources to operate an EEO program. 

   • The Agency must ensure that EEO related information is available and accessible to all employees (e.g., policies, complaint statistics, complaint processes).

2. Integration of EEO into the Agency’s Strategic Mission

   • The Agency’s EEO Director must have regular access to the Agency head and other top management officials.

   • EEO officials must be involved in critical workplace decisions and participate in meetings where critical personnel decisions are made.

3. Management and Program Accountability

   • Managers and supervisors must be held accountable for the successful implementation of EEO programs.

4. Proactive Prevention of Unlawful Discrimination

   • The Agency must conduct annual self-assessments to identify any barriers to EEO and to assess progress.

   • The Agency must issue an anti-harassment policy to prevent harassment on all protected bases (i.e. race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, reprisal, and disability).

   • The Agency must issue a reasonable accommodation policy.

5. Efficiency

   • The Agency must maintain an efficient, fair, and impartial complaint resolution process.

   • The Agency must have a complaint tracking and monitoring system.

6. Responsiveness and Legal Compliance

   • The agency must be in compliance with all EEO laws, regulations, policy, guidance, and other written instructions.

Adapted from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission