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.

In response to requests following publication of the final regulations implementing President Obama’s recent Executive Order addressing non-discrimination and affirmative action on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, OFCCP has published a directory of resources to assist federal contractors

 “around issues relating to creating an inclusive workplace of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and

As a follow up to OFCCP’s recent release of FAQs addressing the protected veteran data collection obligations for contractors, we wanted to take a moment to reiterate employers’ continued obligation to solicit veteran status from applicants post-offer.

Under the revised VEVRAA regulations, employers must solicit protected veteran status from candidates both at the pre-offer and

As a follow up to a story from earlier this year, the D.C. Circuit court has rejected the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABCs) challenge of the requirements under the revised regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

In November 2013, ABC filed suit alleging OFCCP issued its recently revised regulations pertaining to

Adding to the FAQs previously released, OFCCP has released additional guidance addressing audit submission requirements under the new Scheduling Letter for contractors more than six months into their plan year when the Scheduling Letter is received.

Items 9 and 13 of the Scheduling Letter require contractors to provide documentation of the computation or comparisons

We learned today OFCCP is considering dispensing with the twice-a-year advance audit notification frequency, in exchange for notifying smaller groups on a more frequent basis about their establishments’ selection for an upcoming OFCCP compliance review.

For the past several years, OFCCP has issued Courtesy Scheduling Announcement Letters (CSALs) twice a year.  It is our understanding

One of the biggest changes to OFCCP’s recently revised scheduling letter is the requirement that employers must now submit employee-level pay data at the outset of an OFCCP audit.  As the Agency puts 2,500 establishments on notice of upcoming audits, and in response to contractor questions and requests for guidance on the new scheduling letter,

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration are holding a Twitter Chat to discuss efforts to improve employment opportunities for millions of qualified workers with disabilities.  Details are as follows:

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Save the Date! October 24, 2014 Twitter Chat:

You’re invited to