Amtrak sees improvement in workforce diversity efforts

Amtrak yesterday released its annual diversity report for fiscal-year 2022, which measures progress against annual and long-term diversity, inclusion and belonging goals.

The railroad logged slight increases in representation of multiple racial and ethnic groups in its management workforce, including a 0.8% increase in Hispanic and Latino employees, 0.4% increase in Asian employees and 0.3% increase in Black employees, according to the report.

At the end of 2022, Amtrak’s management workforce was 56.5% white, 21.9% Black, 9.5% Asian, 5.9% Hispanic/Latino, 0.4% American Indian/Alaskan Native and 0.3% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. About 2% of management employees were two or more races, while 3.6% did not disclose their race or ethnicity, according to the report.

The union-represented employee workforce had a 1.2% increase in Black workers, 0.3% increase in Hispanic/Latino workers and 0.1% increases in the American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander categories.

In terms of gender, 80% of Amtrak’s 19,000-plus employees are male, of which 82% are in management roles. Thirty-one percent of female employees serve in management positions.

Amtrak also expanded benefits in FY2022 for eligible employees, including medical eligibility for domestic partners and additional gender affirmation support for transgender employees. The railroad also updated fertility health care and surrogacy benefits; added paid time off for volunteering; made Juneteenth a new holiday; and created more paid time off opportunities for religious holidays and family care.

The railroad recorded eight employee resource groups, to which 6% of its workforce — or more than 1,200 employees — belongs. Those groups represent multiple minority communities based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, veteran/active-duty military status and other communities, according to the report.

The Amtrak Supplier Diversity Office also is working to increase the number of contracting opportunities with disadvantaged business enterprises, which are owned by historically disadvantaged minority groups. Amtrak met its goal of making 10% of its contracting opportunities with DBEs and will increase the goal to 15% in FY2023, the report states.

In 2022, Amtrak was named to the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Disability Equality Index from Disability:IN. Forbes also named Amtrak a "best place to work" for new college graduates.