How Effective is the OFCCP? The GAO Answers – Part I

The OFCCP often projects a larger than life presence in the consciousness of many federal contractors. How can it not? For FY 2016, the OFCCP had an annual operating budget of just over $105 million and was authorized 615 full-time equivalent staff positions.  While its staffing decreased from 755 authorized FTE positions in FY 2015…
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What the EEOC and OFCCP Want You to Know About Criminal Background Checks

What’s up with the EEOC, the OFCCP and criminal background checks? While the EEOC enforces anti-discrimination laws for private employers, and generally those who employ 15 or more employees, the OFCCP enforces affirmative action laws and regulations to which federal contractors are subject. Administering background checks to all applicants can’t be discriminatory, can it? If not, then why…
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Why the Debate about Transgender Employee Access to Restrooms Matters

As a federal contractor, you have probably been told in no uncertain terms that federal laws (and specifically, anti-discrimination laws) pre-empt state laws. You may have also heard some rumblings from the EEOC about transgender employees’ access bathrooms. You may also have heard of some controversy on this point in North Carolina. If you are…
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Criminal Background Checks, Affirmative Action – and You…

Many employers, federal contractors included, run criminal background checks on their candidates. If you do not, you run the risk of hiring a dishonest or even violent employee. If you do and you do not run them correctly, you risk running afoul of federal and state anti-discrimination laws and fair credit reporting acts—and OFCCP scrutiny….
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