Introduction by Chairman of MSPB: “In a newly released report, Women in the Federal Government: Ambitions and Achievements, The U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) assesses the treatment and advancement of women in the Federal Government, based on analyses of workforce data and Federal employee perceptions of their experiences and career advancement in the Federal Government. Much has changed for the better since MSPB’s 1992 report, A Question of Equity: Women and the Glass Ceiling in the Federal Government. For example, women now hold approximately 30 percent of positions in the Senior Executive Service, a marked improvement from only 11 percent in 1990. Within the Federal Government, differences between women and men in education and experience continue to diminish. Fewer women report that they are subjected to discrimination or stereotypes, reflecting progress toward a workplace in which employees are selected, rewarded, and advanced solely on the basis of their abilities and accomplishments. Although this progress is commendable, women remain less likely than men to be employed in high-paying occupations and supervisory positions. Continuing occupational differences between women and men may complicate efforts to recruit a diverse workforce and limit women’s opportunities for career development and advancement. Discrimination on the basis of sex, although less frequent, has not yet completely disappeared from Federal workplaces. Therefore, agencies must continue efforts to recruit and advance qualified women, pay close attention to fairness in areas such work assignment and training that can have long-term effects on an employee’s performance and promotability, and remain vigilant against prohibited and individual merit, and must not be influenced by stereotypes, favoritism, or other non-merit factors.”