Photo of 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 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.

It has been a busy morning on the first day of the 2018 ILG National Conference in Anaheim, California.  After a dramatic and moving opening presentation, OFCCP Acting Director Craig Leen gave the morning’s Keynote address.  Echoing the conference’s “Navigating the Waves of Change” theme, Acting Director Leen spoke to the group about the

Early in the Trump Administration, it was proposed to move OFCCP into the EEOC.  Congress subsequently rejected the budget proposal containing the proposed merger and the idea was put to rest.

Not to give up it’s quest to streamline the Administration and propose budget-saving measures, the Administration recently proposed a merger of the Departments

Today, the Trump Administration released its Spring 2018 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, which “reports on the actions administrative agencies plan to issue in the near and long term.”

OFCCP has only one item listed on its agenda, entitled “Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination Obligations of Federal Contractors and Subcontractors: TRICARE and Certain

In the words of OFCCP, the contractors spoke and OFCCP listened.  OFCCP is also listening to the Government Accountability Office and its detailed review of the Agency.

In response to the GAO’s Strengthening Oversight Could Improve Federal Contract Nondiscrimination Compliance report and on the heels of OFCCP’s Compliance Assistance Town Halls, the Agency has

Bloomberg Law is reporting OFCCP may soon rescind the controversial Directive 307, which has been in place since early 2013, and sets out the Agency’s current methodology for analyzing pay.  In its place, Bloomberg reports OFCCP will direct compliance officers to review compensation based on pay groupings established by the contractor.  If the directive