7 Reasons OFCCP is Good for Diversity in the Workplace

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is good for diversity companies and their employees. As its mission statement goes, “The purpose of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is to enforce, for the benefit of job seekers and wage earners, the contractual promise of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity required of those who do business with the Federal government." www.dol.gov/ofccp/aboutof.html

It has so far been successful as OFCCP efforts benefit real people through systemic contractor investigations and through partnerships with private industry and state and local agencies.

www.dol.gov/ofccp/aboutof.html

Read also: Successes www.dol.gov/ofccp/aboutof.html

Here then are the reasons OFCCP helps in ensuring diversity thrives in the workplace.

First, OFCCP has been helping women get into the field of construction, said to be America's 5^th fifth-largest contributor to job creation, generating more than 300,000 jobs from 2009 through 2012, and end blatant discrimination that excludes women from working in construction and increasing their representation in the industry.

http://social.dol.gov/blog/construction-jobs-are-good-jobs-%e2%80%93-for-women-too/ww.dol.gov/ofccp/aboutof.html

Data from BLS show that construction is a comparatively well-paying field.

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2011/ted_20110914.htm

Unfortunately, women have traditionally been excluded from entering these good jobs and continue to be denied their fair share of employment in the industry. Despite a modest increase between 1969 and 1990, BLS data (http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2011/ted_20110914.htm)for 2012 show that the percentage of construction jobs filled by women has declined to 2 percent.

http://social.dol.gov/blog/construction-jobs-are-good-jobs-%e2%80%93-for-women-too/ww.dol.gov/ofccp/aboutof.html

Second, OFCCP continues to focus on entry-level jobs to determine whether there is adverse impact on a particular group when comparing applicants to hires. Read more at:

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=830812f4-bb1d-45c7-9d21-607c9f737773

Third, OFCCP may pursue discrimination claims on behalf of groups that we might not traditionally think of as protected classes. e.g. males and whites. Read more at:

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=830812f4-bb1d-45c7-9d21-607c9f737773

OFCCP also uncovers examples of discrimination every day during its compliance evaluations.

See examples at: www.dol.gov/ofccp/aboutof.html

OFCCP is making sure that affirmative action plans benefit veterans and persons with disabilities. According to the latest update on its final rule amending a contractor’s and subcontractor’s affirmative action and nondiscrimination obligations towards protected veterans, on the afternoon of July 31, 2013, the OFCCP submitted its 503 rule for final OMB review. Therefore, OFCCP rules regarding affirmative action requirements for both veterans and individuals with disabilities are expected shortly.

See: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=0cdfa13f-3d01-4b63-9683-650c0df43711

OFCCP compliance officers have identified and successfully resolved over 80 cases of race- or gender-based pay discrimination, recovering $2.5 million in back pay and salary adjustments for about 1,200 workers, from the time President Obama established the National Equal Pay Task Force in January of 2010 to the present. Equal pay is a tough problem to tackle, as it’s both pervasive and most are quick to rationalize it away, and OFCCP helps resolve such issues.

See: http://social.dol.gov/blog/making-good-on-the-promise-of-equal-pay/

Lastly, because of the requirements of Executive Order 11246 and other laws enforced by OFCCP, Federal contractors have changed the corporate climate in ways that are not statistically measurable. Corporate sensitivity to issues like sex and race harassment and wage discrimination has increased, as has the awareness of the benefits of a family friendly environment. Employers now view ability, not disability. http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/aa.htm

As many diversity companies continue to realize, when diversity thrives in the workplace, everyone is happy as the business continues to expand and succeed. Diversity is indeed an invaluable engine towards success in today's increasingly global culture.