On March 4, 2014, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez released OFCCP’s FY 2015 budget request, which includes a request for over $107 million in funding for OFCCP’s operations.  This amount represents a $3 million increase over 2014, including funding for an additional 10 full-time equivalent employees.

Significant in the FY 2015 budget is a request for an additional $1.1 million dedicated to strengthening efforts to eliminate pay discrimination affecting women.  The 10 additional employees requested in the budget are intended to support this effort.  OFCCP’s augmented focus on pay equity in FY 2015 continues OFCCP’s focus on compensation issues, including the issuance of a recent Directive concerning compensation analyses and audits and a notice of rulemaking concerning a new compensation data collection tool.

Other highlights include:

• Plans to release a revised scheduling letter and complaint form in FY 2014.  As we have previously reported, the revised scheduling letter would seek additional categories information at the desk audit phase of compliance audits.  The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will need to approve the changes before they become final.

• Plans to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding a compensation data collection tool in FY 2014.  OFCCP has published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public input on its development and implementation of a compensation data collection tool to collect information on salaries, wages and other benefits paid to employees of federal contractors and subcontractors.

• Plans to update its sex discrimination guidelines.  OFCCP intends to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update thirty year old regulations addressing sex discrimination.  While the exact contours of the planned changes are unknown, the regulations are likely to codify portions of Directive 307.

• Plans to focus on discrimination in the construction industry.  OFCCP plans to continue its focus on the construction industry, citing it as an important source of jobs for American workers.  OFCCP says that it is “taking a number of steps, including focusing more on larger and first-time contractors and contractors associated with high-impact ‘mega’ projects, where the agency can have the greatest impact and benefit the largest number of construction workers.”

Additional details regarding the budget can be found here, along with details regarding OFCCP’s regulatory agenda.