How Should I Collect Demographic Data for Bias Audits?
Collecting demographic data for bias audits requires balancing compliance needs with candidate privacy:
**Best practices:** 1. **Voluntary self-identification** — Never require demographic disclosure 2. **Separate from application** — Collect EEO data independently from hiring evaluation 3. **Explain purpose** — Tell candidates why data is collected and how it will be used 4. **EEOC categories** — Use standard categories (race/ethnicity, gender, veteran status, disability) 5. **Timing** — Collect at application stage, not during interviews
**Data sources:**
- EEO-1 voluntary self-identification forms
- HRIS demographic records
- ATS built-in EEO collection fields
- Third-party survey tools
**What if participation is low?**
- Increase survey response rates through clear communication about data use
- Use aggregated data where individual data is unavailable
- Document data limitations in your audit report
- Minimum sample sizes vary by statistical test (OnHirely handles this automatically)
OnHirely accepts data in CSV and Excel format with flexible column mapping — our AI auto-mapper identifies demographic columns in your data.
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