DirectEmployers Blog
OFCCP Compliance
EEOC Votes to Rescind Its 1979 Affirmative Action Guidelines: What Changed, Why It Happened & What Federal Contractors Should Know
Key Takeaways On June 29, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to rescind its 1979 interpretive guidelines on voluntary affirmative action under Title VII (29 C.F.R. Part 1608), along with the related Compliance Manual Section 607. The...
Colorado’s New Employer ID Confiscation Law Took Effect June 3, 2026: The New Rules Explained
Key Takeaways On June 4, 2026, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 26-1283, "Protections Regarding Seizures of Identification Documents," into law. Effective June 3, 2026, the law prohibits employers from confiscating workers' government-issued IDs and...
What HR Compliance Requirements Apply to Federal Contractors?
Key Takeaways Federal contractors with contracts of $200,000 or more are covered by VEVRAA, and $20,000 or more by Section 503—both of which remain fully enforceable despite the January 2025 rescission of Executive Order 11246. Contractors with 50 or more employees...
When Hiring Algorithms Go Unmanaged: What the Stanford Algorithmic Hiring Study Means for HR Compliance
Key Takeaways A Stanford study of 3.4 million real job applicants found that more than 25% of applications from Black candidates and nearly 15% from Asian candidates were directed to positions that produced adverse impact under Title VII standards. That risk was not...
A Federal Contractor’s Plain-Language Guide to the DOJ’s Opinion Letter on EEOC Disparate Impact
Key Takeaways On June 9, 2026, the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued a formal opinion letter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) concluding that its longstanding guidelines on disparate-impact liability under Title VII of...
The White House Just Signaled Where AI Policy Is Heading: What Federal Contractors Need to Know
Key Takeaways On June 2, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order 14409 titled Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security, directing federal agencies to accelerate AI-enabled cybersecurity defenses, establish an AI cybersecurity...
The EEOC Just Told You Where It’s Looking Next: A Federal Contractor’s Guide to the New National Enforcement Plan
Key Takeaways On June 4, 2026, the EEOC formally approved a new National Enforcement Plan (NEP) covering fiscal years 2025–2029, replacing the agency's previous Strategic Enforcement Plan. The NEP reaffirms the EEOC's three-pronged approach to eliminating workplace...
FY2027 Appropriations Bill Proposes to Zero Out OFCCP & Cut DOL Funding by 27%
Key Takeaways On June 4, 2026, the House Appropriations Committee released its FY2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Bill, with a subcommittee markup underway as of June 5th. The bill proposes to eliminate all...
DOL Waves in a New Era of Regulatory Clarity with Four Fresh FLSA Opinion Letters
Key Takeaways The Department of Labor’s latest batch of FLSA opinion letters (FLSA2026-5 through FLSA2026-8) signals a sharp return to clear, scenario-specific compliance assistance as shared by Administrator Rogers at DEAMcon26. Key rulings confirm that salaried...
Section 503 Compliance: Key Considerations for Employers
Key Takeaways Section 503 compliance is about more than meeting federal requirements—it’s about creating a workplace where individuals with disabilities can successfully apply, contribute, and grow. Employers should take a holistic approach by reviewing their...