In an effort to slow the spread of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, President Biden announced (in a July 29, 2021 White House Fact Sheet, as well as at a press conference) that on-site federal contractor employees will be asked about their vaccination status and if not fully vaccinated, be required to
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 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.
Proposed Regulations Implementing $15 Federal Contractor Minimum Wage Issued
As covered in our last blog post on this topic, President Biden issued Executive Order 14026 on April 27, 2021 raising to $15 per hour the minimum wage certain federal contractors must pay workers performing work “on or in connection with” a covered federal contract or subcontract. According to the Executive Order, the Department…
BREAKING NEWS: OFCCP Publishes New Audit Scheduling (CSAL) List
OFCCP has announced the release of its FY 2021 CSAL. The CSAL, known as the Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (or also referred to as the Courtesy Scheduling Announcement List) identifies 750 Supply and Service establishment-based full compliance reviews, Corporate Management Compliance Evaluations (CMCE), Functional Affirmative Action Program (FAAP) Reviews and University Reviews.
As it has…
EEO-1 Filing Deadline Extended until August 23, 2021
The EEOC has announced the deadline for filing EEO-1 Reports has been extended. The new filing deadline is NOW Monday, August 23, 2021.
As a reminder this year’s reporting is for both the 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 Component 1 forms.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Paycheck Fairness Act Fails to Advance in Senate
On June 11, 2021 the U.S. Senate failed to approve advancement of the latest iteration of the Paycheck Fairness Act. In a procedural cloture vote that fell along party lines the Act fell short of receiving the required 60 votes needed to move forward.
As a reminder, the version of the Act proposed in February…
Executive Order on Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors Issued
As previewed, on April 27, 2021 President Biden issued an Executive Order directing the minimum wage for certain federal contractors be increased to $15 per hour. The Executive Order on Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors states that the minimum wage for certain hourly workers be increased to $15 per hour for new…
President Biden to Issue Executive Order Today Directing $15 Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors
The White House has released a Fact Sheet detailing an expected Executive Order from President Biden raising the minimum wage for certain federal contractors to $15 an hour by January 2022. The new executive order will expand upon the Federal Minimum Wage Executive Order 13658 signed by President Obama in February 2014, which applied…
EEO-1 Data Collection Portal Open: Batch File Upload Not Available Until May 26
As anticipated EEOC has announced the opening of the 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 data collection portal today. The deadline for submission will be Monday, July 19, 2021. As a reminder, employers are to submit only Component 1 (race and gender) data for these two years. There is currently no obligation for pay data (Component…
OFCCP Releases Annual Veteran Hiring Benchmark
OFCCP has updated the annual veteran benchmark for 2021. The new benchmark is now set at 5.6%. This is down 0.1% from last year’s mark of 5.7%. The OFCCP relies on the annual national percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force to set the benchmark.
As a reminder, the benchmark is the…
EEO-1 Portal to Open April 26, Deadline For Filing Will Be July 19, 2021
EEOC has finally announced the opening date for the collection of 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 data. The portal is slated to open April 26 and employers will have until July 19, 2021 to file both years reports. The agency has extended the duration of the time to file in recognition
of the continuing differential impacts
…