Photo of 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.

As we previewed last week, OFCCP’s rule codifying procedures for resolving allegations of potential discrimination through the use of a Pre-Determination Notice (PDN) or Notice of Violation (NOV) has been officially published in the Federal Register.

The main purpose of rule is to codify practices to “provide contractors with greater certainty” about the

As we noted in our August 2019 post, one of OFCCP Director Craig Leen’s priorities has been to update the Agency’s website with assistance materials for contractors – including Technical Assistance Guides (TAGs).  OFCCP announced today that it has updated the TAG for contractors and subcontractors with covered supply or service contracts.

TAGs

As directed in the recent controversial Executive Order (EO) 13950– Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping, OFCCP is publishing in the Federal Register a request for information (RFI) seeking to collect information regarding training materials that may contain “divisive concepts” or promote sex and race stereotyping or scapegoating. The Agency also held a public Stakeholder

As promised, OFCCP has released a handful of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) addressing the President’s Executive Order Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping (Executive Order 13950).

While limited in nature, the FAQs confirm what OFCCP has been expressing regarding the executive order, including the fact that the Order does not outright prohibit unconscious bias training but

OFCCP’s most recent CSAL included, for the first time, establishments selected for promotion and accommodation focused reviews.  While the Agency has talked for sometime about initiating these types of focused reviews, there has been little information available to help contractors understand what the reviews will entail.   Today, the agency has provided some, albeit limited,

On September 22, 2020 President Trump issued an Executive Order “on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” (“September 22 EO”) covering government contractors and certain grant recipients that outlines what those organizations cannot include in employee training. It appears, the September 22 EO covers all federal contractors and subcontractors and will require contracting agencies to insert

As reported in today’s Federal Register, OFCCP is seeking regulatory authority to:

  • Require federal contractors to annually certify they have prepared AAPs via an online interface; and,
  • Institute “a secure method” to electronically submit AAPs when contractors are scheduled for an audit.

As we reported nearly a year ago, because OFCCP cannot conduct