Last week, the EEOC issued its final rule regarding pay data to be collected with the annual EEO-1 reports. Covered employers will now need to submit pay data sorted by job group and demographic data in their annual EEO-1 reports. The final rule was implemented with no material changes from the proposed rule first issued earlier this year, despite significant response and feedback from industry and employer groups citing concerns. For more information on the rule, see You Pay Your Employees What??? Employers Might Have to Share Hours and Pay Data in Proposed EEO-1 Form.

The EEOC heralds the rule as an important step in the direction of pay equity regardless of gender and other characteristics. Employers’ groups predict dozens, possibly hundreds, of additional hours spent on training and collection of this data for the EEOC.

Also last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced its final rule requiring federal contractors to provide employees paid sick leave in certain circumstances. Beginning January 1, 2017 employers entering into or extending covered contracts with the federal government must provide certain employees up to seven days of paid sick leave annually for illness or medical condition, preventive care, care of a sick family member, or certain absences relating to domestic violence or related proceedings.

The rule has qualifiers and exceptions to coverage, and should be reviewed in its entirety to determine applicability.