At his closing remarks at the National Industry Liaison Group’s 2018 annual conference, Acting OFCCP Director Craig Leen announced that the OFCCP is working on a contractor certification program. Although light on details, Acting Director Leen forecast a system where contractors that did not certify compliance with their affirmative action obligations would be targeted for compliance evaluations.

Key Takeaway: For government contractors that take their compliance obligations seriously, a certification program that would reduce compliance evaluations should be a welcome development. OFCCP has noted in the past that only a very small percentage – as low as 2% – of compliance evaluations end in a finding of discrimination. A program that permits OFCCP to focus on contractors who are most likely not in compliance would not only spare contractors who work hard to achieve compliance from unnecessary and burdensome compliance evaluations, it would also permit OFCCP to be more effective.

As with most things, the devil will be in the details. We will continue to monitor this potential new program and report on any new developments.

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Photo of Guy Brenner Guy Brenner

Guy Brenner is a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Department and leads the Firm’s Washington, D.C. Labor & Employment practice. He is head of the Government Contractor Compliance Group, co-head of the Counseling, Training & Pay Equity Group and a member…

Guy Brenner is a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Department and leads the Firm’s Washington, D.C. Labor & Employment practice. He is head of the Government Contractor Compliance Group, co-head of the Counseling, Training & Pay Equity Group and a member of the Restrictive Covenants, Trade Secrets & Unfair Competition Group. He has extensive experience representing employers in both single-plaintiff and class action matters, as well as in arbitration proceedings. He also regularly assists federal government contractors with the many special employment-related compliance challenges they face.

Guy represents employers in all aspects of employment and labor litigation and counseling, with an emphasis on non-compete and trade secrets issues, medical and disability leave matters, employee/independent contractor classification issues, and the investigation and litigation of whistleblower claims. He assists employers in negotiating and drafting executive agreements and employee mobility agreements, including non-competition, non-solicit and non-disclosure agreements, and also conducts and supervises internal investigations. He also regularly advises clients on pay equity matters, including privileged pay equity analyses.

Guy advises federal government contractors and subcontractors all aspects of Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regulations and requirements, including preparing affirmative action plans, responding to desk audits, and managing on-site audits.

Guy is a former clerk to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the US District Court of the District of Columbia.