With less than a week left on the December 21st deadline to reach a spending deal and avoid another government shutdown, tensions are high in Washington D.C.  On Tuesday, President Trump stated he would refuse to sign a spending bill that did not contain a $5 billion allocation for a border wall.  It is questionable, however, whether such a bill would pass in the House or Senate. Thus, it is possible we will see the third shutdown of certain government agencies in this presidential term.

As background, Congress previously approved, and President Trump signed into law, five spending bills providing funding for about 75 percent of the federal government, including defense, education, labor, health and human services, the legislative branch, energy and water, military construction, and veterans affairs.  There are still seven other spending bills that need legislative agreement, including those that provide funding for agriculture, commerce, justice, science, interior and environment, state and foreign operations, Homeland Security, financial services, general government, transportation, and housing and urban development. Thus, certain agencies (such as the EEOC) are still at risk of shutdown and according to a fact sheet released by the Senate Appropriations Committee staff, more than 420,000 essential government workers would be expected to work without pay if a partial shutdown occurs.   However, based on the previous funding agreements, even if there is a government shutdown, OFCCP (which is under the Department of Labor) will keep running.

So, while other agencies of the government may feel the effects of a government shutdown, OFCCP and the federal contractors they regulate, should not be impacted if a funding agreement is not reached.

 

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Photo of Tiffany A. Buckley-Norwood Tiffany A. Buckley-Norwood

Tiffany A. Buckley-Norwood is a Principal in the Detroit, Michigan, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and is a contributor to the Disability, Leave & Health Management Blog. Ms. Buckley-Norwood represents employers in federal and state lawsuits, administrative proceedings and appellate cases regarding FMLA…

Tiffany A. Buckley-Norwood is a Principal in the Detroit, Michigan, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and is a contributor to the Disability, Leave & Health Management Blog. Ms. Buckley-Norwood represents employers in federal and state lawsuits, administrative proceedings and appellate cases regarding FMLA leave and breach of contract, in addition to claims based on discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also counsels HR professionals and business leaders on best employment practices, drafts employee handbooks and agreements, conducts liability prevention training at employer worksites, and advises employers on compliance with the OFCCP’s affirmative action requirements for federal contractors.

Learn more about Ms. Buckley-Norwood on the Jackson Lewis website.

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.