In the flurry of activity surrounding President Biden’s Executive Order 14042 – Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors,  federal contractors are also awaiting approval of regulations to implement President Biden’s Executive Order  raising the minimum wage for some federal contractor employees to $15 per hour.

In the meantime, the provisions of former President Obama’s minimum wage order have resulted in an increase in the minimum wage from $10.95 to $11.25 for covered employees.  That rate will go into effect on January 1, 2022.

As a reminder, the federal contractor minimum wage applies only to workers and employees working “on or in connection with” a covered federal contract or subcontract.  An employee works “on” a covered contract when she performs the work called for by the contract.  Employees are considered to be working “in connection with” a covered contract if they are “performing work activities that are necessary to the performance of a covered contract but … are not directly engaged in performing the specific services called for by the contract itself.”

In addition, the minimum wage does not apply to employees working only “in connection with” a covered contract, where the employee works less than 20% of her time in any given workweek “in connection with” a covered contract.

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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.