Many employers approach being a federal contractor based on what they read or hear...enforcement, audit, penalties, etc. Ahmed Younies, President and CEO of HR Unlimited, Inc., shares his perspective on how employers should approach being a federal contractor and subcontractor, and it might surprise you.

On August 19, 2014, OFCCP finally issued a Directive on Gender Identity and Sex Discrimination that clearly acknowledged that gender discrimination under Executive Order 11246 covers discrimination on the basis of transgender and gender identity status. Government Compliance is where you'll hear hot topics about Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action Planning, and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Progr...

President Obama recently issued an amendment to Executive Order 11246 which added the verbiage of "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the language, broadening the protected bases in that order. While the Department of Labor has been directed to prepare regulations, many questions and concerns are raised with these additions. Government Compliance is where you'll hear hot topics about Equal Employment Opport...

Hobby Lobby was decided under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) argued that for-profit corporations could not have religious beliefs and should not be considered "persons" under the Act. The Court disagreed with HHS, finding that the term "persons," as used in the Act, did apply to closely held corporations. Government Compliance is where you'll hear hot t...

What is an EEO-1 report, who has to file it, when does it have to be filed, and what confidentiality protections is the government required to observe? Sandra Scott Zeigler, Esq., a recognized authority on Federal EEO enforcement with 25 years of experience divided equally between the EEOC and OFCCP, sheds light on this topic as well as the pros, cons, and caveats of voluntary EEO-1 disclosure. You can also read Zeigler's...

Determining who is similarly situated is critical to the outcome of a discrimination case. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has to prove its calculations are correct and based on appropriate pools for comparison. A common defense for a contractor is to challenge the construction of the pools used in the discrimination analysis. Sandra Scott Zeigler, Esq., a recognized authority on Federal EEO en...

Compensation analysis begins with a "snap shot" of data that is examined for disparities in pay. Education, skills, and experience may impact pay, but any unexplained residual disparity is likely attributed to discrimination. Sandra Scott Zeigler, Esq., a recognized authority on Federal EEO enforcement with 25 years of experience divided equally between the EEOC and OFCCP, sheds light on what federal contractors should be a...

Who is similarly situated? In self-audits or in the defense of allegations of discrimination, contractors need to understand how to identify who is similarly situated to whom for purposes of equal opportunity analysis. Sandra Scott Zeigler, Esq., a recognized authority on Federal EEO enforcement with 25 years of experience divided equally between the EEOC and OFCCP, sheds light on what federal contractors should be aware o...

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) asked employers to pledge to not use an individual's unemployment status as a consideration when making hiring decisions. To what extent, if any, can the current laws enforced by the OFCCP be used to address this? Sandra Scott Zeigler, Esq., a recognized authority on Federal EEO enforcement with 25 years of experience divided equally between the EEOC and OFCCP, she...

An article posted on Buzzfeed.com on December 4, 2013 stated, "Federal Official Refuses to Say Whether Office is Protecting Trans Workers." The response of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) was, "OFCCP follows Title VII precedent in everything." Sandra Scott Zeigler, Esq., a recognized authority on Federal EEO enforcement with 25 years of experience divided equally between the EEOC and OFCCP, sheds...