The specific federal, state, and local compliance requirements an employer must meet depend on the type of organization and the nature of the contracts it holds.

Common examples of these obligations include:

The Workforce and Employment Practices Assessment enables organizations to proactively examine the root causes and impacts of potential illegal discrimination and non-compliance before facing the serious consequences of costly litigation, or suspension or debarment from federal contract eligibility.

Beyond legal and financial penalties, the reputational damage from non-compliance can erode stakeholder trust and jeopardize future business prospects. To safeguard against these risks, organizations must cultivate a culture of compliance one in which employees at all levels are informed of regulatory obligations and understand the critical importance of accurate reporting and adherence to anti-discrimination laws.

Regular training, internal audits, and timely policy updates aligned with current legal standards are foundational to a robust compliance program. By investing in these preventative measures, employers not only reduce exposure to risk but also reinforce their commitment to ethical, fair, and inclusive workplace practices.

Private employers, especially federal contractors, must continue conducting Workforce Analytics and Equity Compliance reviews to assess whether their HR policies, practices, and procedures may be creating legal risks. This is particularly important as contractors will soon be required to certify that they do not operate any DEI programs or other employment practices that violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

Failure to ensure compliance can carry severe consequences. Submitting a false certification, whether intentional or due to oversight, can expose contractors to liability under the False Claims Act (FCA). Penalties may include treble damages, significant statutory fines, and reputational harm. Even unintentional errors or lack of proper documentation can result in substantial legal and financial exposure.

Additionally, a violation may result in suspension or debarment from future federal contract awards.

To mitigate these risks, federal contractors must take a proactive approach.

This includes:

Once the certification criteria are defined, HR Unlimited (HRU) is here to support your organization in identifying and addressing high-risk areas related to HR policies, practices, and procedures before they become the subject of costly and time-consuming litigation.

Partnering with HRU provides peace of mind. Our experts offer an objective review of your processes, identify compliance gaps, and recommend solutions aligned with industry’s best practices. Through regular benchmarking and workforce analytics, we help drive continuous improvement and ensure your compliance efforts remain effective and forward-looking.

Proactive compliance not only satisfies legal obligations, it also strengthens your reputation as a responsible, fair, and inclusive employer. This strategic approach enhances your ability to attract top talent, build client trust, and thrive in today’s highly regulated business environment.

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with Wisconsin that meet the criteria outlined by the State of Wisconsin Affirmative Action Plan Requirements document.

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://jobcenterofwisconsin.com/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with Washington that employ 50 employees or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction: Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Supply & Service: Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Construction: Employees on payroll over a period of one year.
• Supply & Service: Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.worksourcewa.com/home.aspx?

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with Rhode Island that have state contracts of $50,000 or more and employ 50 employees or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction: Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Supply & Service: Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Construction: Employees on payroll over a period of one year.
• Supply & Service: Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.employri.org/vosnet/Default.aspx

Who Must Submit?

• Employers that have apprentice programs registered with the Pennsylvania Council
• Highway construction contractors with Federal-aid PennDOT contracts of $10,000 or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee and Organization Information
• Construction Project and Employee Information

Who Must Be Included

• Registered apprentices in workforce.
• Employees on payroll over a period of one year.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.cwds.pa.gov/cwdsonline/Admin/ViewHomePage/PublicHomePage.aspx

Who Must Submit?

Employers contracted with Ohio that meet one of the following criteria:

1. Supply & Services contract of $5,000 or more
2. Construction Contracts of $50,000 or more and they employ 50 employees or more

Employers contracted with Ohio for construction work

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction: Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Supply & Service: Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Construction: Employees on payroll over a period of one year.
• Supply & Service: Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employees on payroll over a period of one month.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://jobseeker.ohiomeansjobs.monster.com/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with New York – largely depends on the state agency.

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• All active employees as of the chosen Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://newyork.usnlx.com/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers with 10 or more employees in New Mexico that are bidding on state contracts

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee Pay Information

Who Must Be Included

• All active employees as of the chosen Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.jobs.state.nm.us/vosnet/Default.aspx

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with New Jersey for construction work

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Employees on payroll over a period of one month.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://newjersey.usnlx.com/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers with 5 or more registered apprentices in Nevada.

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction: Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Supply & Service: Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Registered apprentices in workforce.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.employnv.gov/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with Minnesota that meet the following criteria:

1. State Contract for goods and services of $100,000 or more
2. Employ 40 employees or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.
• Employees on payroll over a period of one month.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.minnesotaworks.net/

Who Must Submit?

• Employer with 100 or more employees in Massachusetts
• All state contractors providing construction or design services

What Must Be Submitted?

• EEO-1 Reports of the Prior Year
• Weekly Employee Pay Information
• Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• All active employees as of the chosen Snapshot period. The Snapshot period is defined as a single pay period between October 1 and December 31 of the reporting year.
• Active employees on payroll
• Employees on payroll over a period of one month.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://jobquest.dcs.eol.mass.gov/jobquest/Employers/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with Maine with a state contract of $50,000 or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction: Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Supply & Service: Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Construction: Employees on payroll over a period of one year.
• Supply & Service: Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://joblink.maine.gov/ada/r/

Who Must Submit?

• Employers contracted with Kentucky that meet either of the two criteria:

1. State contracts of $250,000 or more
2. Employs 8 employees or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction: Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Supply & Service: Employee and Organization Information

Who Must Be Included

• Construction: Employees on payroll over a period of one year.
• Supply & Service: Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://focustalent.ky.gov/talent/login

Who Must Submit?

• Employers with 100 employees or more, with at least one location in Illinois

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee Pay Information

Who Must Be Included

• Pay information of all employees during the 12-month calendar year immediately prior to the deadline or recertification due date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/ada/r/job_seeker

Construction employers contracted with Connecticut that meet either of the two criteria:

1. Your company is the construction manager of the project, OR
2. The project does not have a construction manager, your company has a state contract with the owner of the project, and the state-funded portion of your company’s contract value $1,000,000 or more

Construction employers contracted with Connecticut that meet either of the two criteria:

1. The project does not have a construction manager, your company has a state contract with the owner of the project, and the state-funded portion of your company’s contract value is between $50,000 – $999,999.99 OR
2. The project has a construction manager and the state-funded portion of your company’s contract value is $50,000 or more.

What Must Be Submitted?

• Construction Project and Employee Information (Construction AAP)
• Subcontracting Information – must show that company set aside certain amount of $$$ for exclusive bidding of certified minority owned business enterprises

Who Must Be Included

• Employees on payroll over a period of one year.
• List of Minority owned business enterprises that bid on subcontracts for project.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.cthires.com/vosnet/Default.aspx

Who Must Submit?

• Employers with 100 employees or more (payroll or labor contractor), with at least one location in California
• Employers contracted with California with state contracts of $5,000 or more

What Must Be Submitted?

• Employee Pay Information
• Employee and Organization Information (Nondiscrimination Report – similar to AAP defined by EO 11246)

Who Must Be Included

• All active employees as of the chosen Snapshot period. The Snapshot period is defined as a single pay period between October 1 and December 31 of the reporting year.
• ‘Active employees as of a given Snapshot date, as well as the applicants, hires, promotions, and terminations of the year prior to the Snapshot date.

Employment Service Delivery System (ESDS) Link

• https://www.caljobs.ca.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx

Learn more about CA pay data reporting requirements