In an unexpected, but much awaited move, it is anticipated Craig Leen will be named as the new head of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”).  While the Department of Labor has not formally confirmed or commented on this development, Leen’s appointment would come more than a year after Patricia Shiu departed the position in November 2016.  Since that time, Tom Dowd has held the position of interim Director at OFCCP.

Craig Leen currently serves as the City Attorney for Coral Gables, Florida.  During his tenure as the city’s top attorney, Leen reportedly “gained national attention for Coral Gables and its propensity to sue high-profile corporations and use the city’s legal muscle to pursue critics.”  In additional to his position with the City, Leen has also been an adjunct professor at Florida International University College of Law where Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta, to whom Leen would report, was Dean.

The City of Coral Gables’ biography of Lean notes he earned his law degree from Columbia Law School in 2000, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in 1997, where he double majored in Government and Economics.

Little is known about Leen’s position on OFCCP regulations, policies and practices or his intended direction for the Agency.  We will report any updates or insights as soon as we learn them so stay tuned for the latest developments. . .

Tags: Alexander Acosta, Craig Leen, Director of OFCCP, OFCCP, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Patricia Shiu, Secretary of Labor, Tom Dowd, U.S. Department of Labor
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Photo of Laura A. Mitchell Laura A. Mitchell

As co-leader of the firm’s ESG group, Laura Mitchell partners with her clients to evaluate, set, achieve and monitor their organizational culture and human capital goals. She focuses her practice on data analytics, including pay equity and other employee analytics, working side-by-side with…

As co-leader of the firm’s ESG group, Laura Mitchell partners with her clients to evaluate, set, achieve and monitor their organizational culture and human capital goals. She focuses her practice on data analytics, including pay equity and other employee analytics, working side-by-side with employers to build programs that benefit employees and create a stable, high-functioning workplace. Understanding that an inclusive, values-based culture provides a crucial competitive advantage in the modern workplace, Laura enjoys counseling companies on the development of proactive and equitable pay and diversity practices.

In Laura’s version of the reimagined workplace, attention to human capital issues, especially DEI and pay equity, would be the rule rather than the exception nationwide and she works with companies across all industries—both new and well-established multi-national organizations of all sizes—to realize this vision for her clients’ ongoing success. She helps clients understand all issues across the spectrum of their journey, helping to establish regular analyses as well as counseling organizations on implementation and compliance obligations, where applicable. Committed to putting her clients’ organizational goals first and foremost, Laura views herself as an extension of her clients’ team, responsible for providing proactive guidance and engaging in transparent, ongoing communication.

Laura also represents companies in OFCCP matters, preparing for and defending OFCCP audits, and counseling employers on issues stemming from OFCCP regulations. She personally oversees the development of hundreds of Affirmative Action Plans for clients each year and is intimately involved in the defense of OFCCP audits. Her approach to compliance is one of facilitation and conciliation while simultaneously advocating in the best interests of her clients.

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