New Directives to Improve Federal Contract Compliance Assistance

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, a program of the U.S. Department of Labor, announced three new directives today to maximize the effectiveness of our compliance assistance resources, increase accountability, and resolve federal contractor compliance evaluations more efficiently.

The new directives include:

• Improved Compliance Evaluations – Outlines new steps we are taking to expeditiously resolve compliance evaluations and quickly remediate violations, which will benefit protected workers and the regulated community.
• Pre-Referral Mediation Program – Establishes a mediation program that will help resolve matters before spending significant time and resources in the enforcement process. This program will be offered to federal contractors and subcontractors to resolve findings of discrimination, before referral to the Office of the Solicitor for enforcement.
• Ombuds Service Supplement and Protocol – Outlines the Ombuds Service Protocol, which explains the principles of the OFCCP’s Ombuds Service.

We are committed to providing proactive, meaningful compliance assistance to help contractors understand and meet their equal employment opportunity obligations. We hope the release of these new directives and initiatives will further this aim and serve as a useful tool for federal contractors.

OFCCP Directives

At the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), we protect workers, promote diversity and enforce the law. OFCCP holds those who do business with the federal government (contractors and subcontractors) responsible for complying with the legal requirement to take affirmative action and not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. In addition, contractors and subcontractors are prohibited from discharging or otherwise discriminating against applicants or employees who inquire about, discuss or disclose their compensation or that of others, subject to certain limitations.