Today, in connection with “Equal Pay Day” ceremonies at the White House, President Obama issued an Executive Order and a Presidential Memorandum aimed at ensuring that employees of Federal government contractors and subcontractors are not discriminated against with regard to compensation on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The Presidential Memorandum directs the Secretary of Labor to propose rules requiring Federal contractors and subcontractors to submit to the Department of Labor (DOL) summary data on the compensation paid to their employees by sex and race.  The rules must be proposed by August 6, 2014.  President Obama expects the rules to enable DOL to direct enforcement resources toward entities for which reported data suggest potential discrepancies in worker compensation.