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.

Today, OFCCP under new Director Jenny Yang published a 2022 Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (CSAL) identifying those establishments of federal contractors and subcontractors that it will schedule for compliance evaluations – more commonly known as “audits” – over the next year or more.  Included with the new CSAL is OFCCP’s methodology for selecting contractors for

The June 30, 2022 deadline is quickly approaching for covered supply and service federal contractors and subcontractors to certify in the Contractor Portal they have developed and maintained AAPs.  This week, OFCCP added an option allowing bulk upload and modification of establishments and functional affirmative action plan (FAAP) business units.

Notably, OFCCP limits this functionality

Speaking to the Institute For Workplace Equality during its 2022 Annual Summit in Washington D.C., personnel from the U.S. Department of Labor Solicitor’s office (OFCCP’s attorneys) clarified the intent of the Agency’s new Compensation Directive 2022-01.  Speaking to conference attendees, Beverly Dankowitz, Associate Solicitor for the Civil Rights and Labor- Management, explained the purpose

The 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 reporting period is currently underway.  Most employers with 100 or more employees (and most federal contractors with 50 or more employees) must submit their 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 Report by Tuesday, May 17, 2022.  In past years, for various reasons, the EEOC has extended this deadline to permit additional

As we reported the 2021 EEO-1 reporting portal is now open.

More employers are collecting non-binary gender data from employees.  The EEOC however, is not authorized to require collection, or reporting, of non-binary employee data.  The current EEO-1 reporting form has fields only for the reporting of employee binary gender data.  So what are employers