The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a method for identifying the race and ethnicity of consumers when the data are not available. The CFPB requires this information in order to monitor lending patterns and ensure that lending institutions are complying with fair lending laws that prohibit Title VII discrimination.  ...read more >

The U.S. Census Bureau announced program changes in its 2016 budget that include discontinuation of the 3-year American Community Survey (ACS). Federal contractors might wonder whether this discontinuation, if approved, will affect affirmative action plan preparation.   ...read more >

BLS data from 2014 reveal that unemployment rates for male veterans decreased overall, and even more noticeably for Gulf War II era veterans. Yet, there continues to be a concern over why recent male veterans have higher unemployment rates than male nonveterans.    ...read more >

Employers should take heed of what OFCCP is requesting in the updated Item 19 of the compliance review scheduling letter. The agency is now requesting compensation data at the individual employee level.   ...read more >

Federal contractors take note.  This April, sexual orientation and gender identity will be added to the groups that are protected from discrimination.  Read on for information on immediate changes and possible impact on your current AAP requirements and metrics.  ...read more >

The semiconductor transistor, carbon buckyball, quantum dots:  these examples of nanotechnology are the beginning of the story.  ERS Group Director Nels Pearsall discusses the latest trends in his most recent article on the successes and challenges that face attempts to commercialize these technological innovations.  ...read more >

President Obama proclaimed April 8th as “Equal Pay Day,” the symbolic day that women’s earnings catch up with men’s wages from the previous year. He then signed Executive Order 13665, “Non-Retaliation for Disclosure of Compensation Information” which prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from retaliating against employees and job applicants who disclose, discuss or inquire about compensation.  ...read more >

Federal contractors selected for auditing by the OFCCP are notified via a Scheduling Letter and an Itemized Listing of the data, analyses and documents they must provide within 30 days. On October 1, 2014, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the OFCCP’s new Scheduling Letter, Itemized Listing, and Compliance Check Letter. Federal contractors should familiarize themselves with these new requirements.   ...read more >

The Federal Contractor Veterans’ Employment Report, VETS-4212, replaces the VETS 100 and VETS-100A reports.  Federal contractors now will provide more accurate data on the number of protected veterans in their workforce.   ...read more >