To remain compliant and competitive under EO 14173, federal contractors should take immediate steps to realign their policies, data practices, and contracting procedures with the new merit-based framework. The first step is to map your organization’s federal exposure. Identify all contracts, subcontracts, and grants, both prime and sub, with federal agencies, including any flow-down obligations….
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When Executive Order 14173 was issued in January 2025, many employers assumed that the revocation of Executive Order 11246 marked the end of federal oversight of affirmative action and diversity initiatives. Eight months later, that assumption has been proven dangerously wrong. While the structure of oversight has changed, enforcement has not disappeared. It has shifted….
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Definition of Merit-Based Hiring Merit-based hiring is a recruitment strategy that focuses on selecting candidates based solely on their skills, experience, qualifications, and performance rather than personal characteristics or biases. In simple terms, when companies adopt hiring based on merit, they prioritize measurable factors like job competency, test scores, and work history over subjective elements…
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Guidance for HR Practitioners and Employees Workplace civil rights violations can occur in various forms of discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or retaliation for exercising protected rights. As HR practitioners, it is critical to not only help employees navigate these situations but also protect your organization from liability while fostering…
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As the sun sets on Executive Order 11246, a landmark directive that shaped affirmative action compliance for nearly 60 years, a new chapter in civil rights enforcement begins. Executive Order 14173, signed early in 2025, represents a fundamental shift—from mandate-driven affirmative action for women and minorities to a universal, merit-based approach to nondiscrimination for all…
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