As part of its overarching effort to provide federal contractors with better compliance assistance, OFCCP announced this week its Town Hall Action Plan, intended to address issues raised by federal contractors during the seven Town Hall meetings it conducted in 2019.   Based on “consistent themes across the Town Hall meetings,” OFCCP has identified a six-point action plan, with action items intended to implement each point:

  1. Update and develop new resources to assist contractors in conducting outreach to diverse talent pools.
  2. Provide more compliance assistance and resources for contractors to develop effective affirmative action programs and allow for more dialogue with contractors during compliance evaluations.
  3. Enhance avenues for collaboration between contractors.
  4. Enhance resources for protected veterans and their spouses, family, and other associates.
  5. Enhance resources to increase the effectiveness of the Indian and Native American Employment Rights Program.
  6. Enhance resources for disability inclusion.

The Agency had identified a number of action items that should be helpful to all federal contractors.  For example:

  • Outreach Assistance:  “Increase collaboration with organizations to keep the Employment Referral Resource Directory up to date. This directory provides contact information for diverse recruitment resources across the country and is used by contractors when advertising openings to candidates from diverse pools.
  • Protected Veterans:  “Develop new resources (e.g., frequently asked questions and best practices for contractors hiring protected veterans). OFCCP will develop material and update existing VEVRAA resources to include links to existing resources from other agencies and community-based organizations (e.g. the Career One Stop’s military skills translator).”
  • Individuals with Disabilities:  “Develop additional best practices for disability accommodations. OFCCP will use lessons learned that are identified during focused reviews … to address challenges where contractors need guidance in meeting their obligation to provide reasonable accommodation. OFCCP will compile best practices and other resources for contractors gleaned from these focused reviews to assist in this area.”

We look forward to seeing OFCCP’s progress toward implementing the Plan and will continue to blog about those developments.  Stay tuned.

 

Tags: OFCCP, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Section 503 Focused Reviews, Town Hall Action Plan, VEVRAA Focused Reviews
Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Laura A. Mitchell Laura A. Mitchell

Laura Mitchell is a principal in the Denver office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and leads the firm’s Workplace Analytics and Preventive Strategies Pay Equity subgroup. She partners with employers to evaluate, develop and implement policies and practices that ensure workplace fairness while mitigating…

Laura Mitchell is a principal in the Denver office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and leads the firm’s Workplace Analytics and Preventive Strategies Pay Equity subgroup. She partners with employers to evaluate, develop and implement policies and practices that ensure workplace fairness while mitigating legal risk. Laura is a guiding force in the firm’s most specialized and technical practice areas where she leverages an analytics-focused approach to partner with her clients in building legally compliant programs around which they can anchor their workplaces achieving productivity and stability.

Laura understands that creating a competitive advantage for employers in today’s workplace involves using a data-driven approach to counsel companies on the development of proactive and equitable non-discriminatory practices in hiring, promotions, separations and pay—and where advancements in technology can create both opportunities for efficiencies and risk that can be measured. Committed to putting her clients’ organizational goals first and foremost while balancing legal risk, Laura views herself as an extension of her clients’ team, responsible for providing proactive guidance and engaging in transparent, ongoing communication. Staying the course with employers across their organizational journey while balancing legal compliance obligations throughout their employees’ lifecycle ensures Laura’s position as a go-to resource.

Laura works with companies across all industries—both new and well-established multi-national organizations of all sizes—to realize the combined vision of legal compliance, increased productivity and economic growth enhanced by a focus on pay equity.  As part of the pay equity journey, she advises employers on the evolving pay transparency landscape, working to align compliant practices with the practical realities of the business world.

Laura partners closely with government contractors to understand, implement and demonstrate compliance with their EEO regulatory and compliance obligations. She also works closely with non-government contractor clients to conduct risk assessments of their programs, policies, and training to align with federal and state anti-discrimination requirements.

Laura is the editor and a principal contributor of the GovCon Employment Exchange blog and presents on pay equity and government contractor obligations. To round out her days, Laura enjoys spending time with her family and friends attending sports events, working out, riding her bike, playing pickleball and taking in Colorado’s incomparable sunsets.

Read more about Laura A. Mitchell
Show more Show less