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.

In a surprising turn of events, the White House has announced today President Trump’s intent to nominate current OFCCP Director Craig Leen to the position of Inspector General of the Office of Personnel Management.

There were not details around timing or potential OFCCP Director candidates provided in the release.  He would need to be confirmed

The recently updated Construction Contractors Technical Assistance Guide (“TAG”) provides construction contractors substantial guidance in understanding their AAP obligations and how to fulfill those obligations.  Helpfully, the TAG addresses both technical compliance as well as best practices to achieve the spirit of the relevant statutes.

The TAG is organized coherently and practically, beginning with an

While it feels like we just finished the EEO-1 reporting season, the time is here again to start preparing for filing of the “traditional” annual EEO-1 survey.  As it has for years, EEOC will again this year look to collect race and gender data from eligible employers.  Component 1 of the EEO-1 (not to be

The most recently authorized version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a provision that will limit the ability of federal contractors to inquire into the criminal backgrounds of certain potential employees.  Beginning in December 2021, the Fair Chance Act will prohibit federal contractors from inquiring about a job applicant’s criminal background in certain

Checking off another of the Agency’s “To Dos”, OFCCP has published revisions and updates to the Federal Contractor Compliance Manual (FCCM).  The manual is the Agency’s “instruction manual” providing

guidance for OFCCP’s compliance officers in conducting compliance evaluations and complaint investigations . . .

Revisions to the guide have been promised for years, and

OFCCP has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM or Proposed Rule) proposing to codify procedures the agency uses to resolve potential violations of the affirmative action laws the agency enforces.  If approved, the regulation would significantly clarify (if not alter) both the procedures and substantive rules according to which OFCCP seeks to resolve allegations

In a welcome turn for federal contractors, OFCCP last week submitted a proposed regulation to codify Directive 2018-01 – Use of Predetermination Notices (PDN).  The regulation would require OFCCP to issue a Predetermination Notice (PDN) in every audit summarizing the Agency’s preliminary “discrimination” findings before issuing a Notice of Violation (NOV).

Regular issuance of

Furthering the Agency’s commitment to providing contractors with ongoing Technical Compliance Assistance, OFCCP has released a Guide to assist construction contractors navigate compliance with their equal employment opportunity obligations. The Construction TAG has been added to OFCCP’s ever-expanding technical assistance landing page.

OFCCP drafted the 157-page guide as a

self-assessment tool to review the