Chicago — June 13

During the last few decades, the makeup of the U.S. civilian labor force has changed significantly, with women accounting for half of all workers and companies becoming both racially and ethnically diverse.

CareerBuilder surveyed more than 1,300 diverse workers to gauge how their work experience has evolved with their growing proportions in the U.S. workforce. The study focused on larger economies and workforces, targeting the top 20 markets in the U.S. by population. The results for six diverse segments - African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, women, workers with disabilities and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) workers – were compared to non-diverse workers, defined as Caucasian males who are not LGBT and not disabled. The national survey was conducted from Feb. 21 to March 10.

The findings point to continued inequalities between diverse and non-diverse segments in pay, career advancement and feelings of discrimination. Women and Hispanic workers were twice as likely to hold an administrative or clerical entry-level job as non-diverse workers. African-American workers were nearly twice as likely. More than half of women, Hispanics and workers with disabilities reported earning less than $50,000 compared to three in 10 non-diverse workers.

At the same time, certain diverse segments ranked higher than non-diverse workers in compensation, reflecting a movement toward better equality in the workplace. LGBT workers were the most likely of all segments to earn six figures, while both Asian and LGBT workers were the most likely to earn $50,000 or more.

“The U.S. workplace has experienced fundamental shifts over the last two decades that have had a major impact on business, including economic downturns, the introduction of new technology and the strengthening of laws designed to promote equality,” said Dr. Sanja Licina, senior director, talent intelligence and consulting at CareerBuilder. “While companies have made strides in creating an inclusive workplace for all workers, there is still work to be done, especially in the areas of hiring, compensation and career advancement.”