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.

On September 11, 2015, OFCCP published the Final Rule implementing Executive Order 13665 – Prohibitions Against Pay Secrecy Policies and Actions. The Final Rule will be effective for contracts or subcontracts over $10,000 entered into or modified after January 11, 2016.

The “Pay Transparency” Executive Order amends Executive Order 11246 and the Equal Opportunity

On February 12, 2014 President Obama signed Executive Order 13658 establishing a minimum wage for federal contractors.  Effective January 1, 2015, the minimum hourly wage for workers performing work on covered contracts was $10.10.  The Executive Order gave the Secretary of Labor the authority to determine the hourly rate for subsequent years.

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Last week in a divide opinion the National Labor Relations Board decided the case of Browning-Ferris Industries of California, Inc., in which the Board announced a new standard for determining joint employer status under the National Labor Relations Act.  The Board’s decision significantly broadens the definition of “employer” under the Act to include unrelated

Adding to the line of other states, Illinois now joins the ranks of jurisdictions that allows for employers to establish a voluntary veteran hiring preference.   The Illinois state bill becomes effective January 1, 2016.

The other 20 states that have previously passed similar laws include:

  • Arkansas
  • Arizona
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Iowa
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Maine