DCI Consulting Blog

By Zach Olsen

On July 2, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued Order 08-2025, which allows the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to resume its enforcement activities related to Section 503 of the...

By Fred Satterwhite

Five months after Executive Order (EO) 11246 was revoked, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has proposed revisions to its implementing regulations, including changes to affirmative action and data...

By David Cohen

On Friday, June 27^th, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Director Catherine Eschbach sent a letter to federal contractors asking them to voluntarily submit information to the agency explaining their efforts to...

By Joanna Colosimo

This is Part 2 of the “Is EEO Cool Again?” blog series. Catch up by reading Part I: EEO Compliance Isn't DEI.

Over the past decade, many experts have emphasized the importance of breaking down silos between equal employment...

By: Joanna Colosimo

Over several decades, DCI has dedicated substantial efforts to evaluating equal employment opportunity (EEO) compliance programs and anti-discrimination initiatives. Typically managed within an organization's Human Resources and...

By Dave Schmidt and Sarah Layman

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into employment decision-making processes for organizations continues to accelerate, as does the evolution of the legal and regulatory environment. This post provides...

By Fred Satterwhite

Federal contractors who have been waiting to find out how Executive Order (EO) 14173 would be implemented now know at least one piece of the federal government’s enforcement plan.

On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice...

By Mitchell Chamberlin

As DCI has covered in a previous blog, a new pay transparency law is set to go into effect in Vermont starting on July 1, 2025. With the enactment of this law, known as Act 155, Vermont joins four other states with new pay...

By Stephanie Horn

A new pay transparency law is in effect in New Jersey as of June 1, 2025. Senate Bill No. 2310 was introduced in the New Jersey Legislature last year and requires covered employers in New Jersey to notify current employees of...

By Mitchell Chamberlin

The rescission of Executive Order 11246, along with shifts in focus and significant changes at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has led to a period of confusion for federal contractors.

Many...

By Amanda Bowman and Emily Kimble

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has officially opened the2024 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection portal as of today, May 20, 2025. All private-sector employers with 100 or more employees are now...

By Mitchell Chamberlin

In early 2024, the Colorado state legislature passed Senate Bill 24-205, Consumer Protections for Interactions with Artificial Intelligence Systems (CPIAIS), which was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on May 17, 2024....

By Dave Cohen and Joanna Colosimo

Recently, there have been many questions regarding the collection of demographic data from employees and applicants by employers. Executive Order 14173 and other executive and agency actions by the Trump...

By Cassie Alfheim

On May 6, 2025, President Donald Trump nominated Brittany Bull Panuccio to be a Commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If confirmed, Panuccio would serve as a member of the Commission until July 1,...

By Lily Kerr

On April 15, 2025, Democracy Forward Foundation, a nonprofit known for litigating cases against the federal government, filed a lawsuit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Democracy Forward filed the suit on...

By Joanna Colosimo

On April 28, 2025, two members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote a letter to the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Catherine Eschbach, expressing strong opposition to the revocation...

By Benjamin Kerner

May 20, 2025 Update:

The EEO-1 filing portal is now open. Employers have until June 24, 2025, to submit their reports. For more information, download DCI's Step-by-Step Guide to Filings EEO-1s in 2025.

May 12, 2025 Update:

EEOC's...

By Mitchell Chamberlin

On April 15, 2025, ten former Department of Labor (DOL) officials from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and Office of the Solicitor (SOL)—including former Directors Jenny Yang and Pat Shiu—released an

By David Cohen and Joanna Colosimo

On Friday, April 11, 2025, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued an announcement that they have settled with four “BigLaw” firms over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. The...

By Joanna Colosimo

Former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) commissioners and legal representatives have authored an open letter addressed to the legal community in response to an EEOC document released on March 19, 2025, by Acting...

By Lisa Harpe and David Cohen

The concept of adverse impact under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII) is widely misunderstood. Adverse impact occurs when a seemingly neutral employment practice disproportionately (i.e. statistically)...

By Lily Kerr

On March 25, 2025, President Trump renominated Commissioner and Acting Chair Andrea R. Lucas for a second five-year term at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Originally nominated by Trump during his first term in 2020,...

By Joanna Colosimo

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the new Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Director Catherine Eschbach announced to agency staff that they will review Affirmative Action Plans and data files...

By Mitchell Chamberlin

On March 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced that Catherine Eschbach has been appointed the Director of the agency. In this role, she is expected to help...

By Joanna Colosimo

On March 19, 2025, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Justice Department issued a press release and two technical assistance documents focused on educating employers, employees, and the public about the...

By Joanna Colosimo and Mitchell Chamberlin

On March 18, 2025, seven former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) officials issued an open letter addressed to Acting Chair Andrea Lucas. This letter was written in response to information...

By Joanna Colosimo

On March 17, 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Acting Chair Andrea Lucas sent letters to 20 law firms, requesting information about their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related employment...

By Fred Satterwhite and Joanna Colosimo

On March 14, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted the government's Motion for a Stay Pending Appeal in the lawsuit concerning two Executive Orders aimed at ending diversity,...

By Cassie Alfheim

Recently, many federal government websites, including several Department of Labor (DOL) pages, have undergone significant changes. In February, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website featured only a...

By Lily Kerr and Benjamin Kerner

The State of California Civil Rights Department’s (CA CRD) fifth annual pay filing is currently underway, with a due date of Wednesday, May 14^th, 2025. The filing requirement, first instituted in 2021, was motivated...

By Dave Sharrer

The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is informing employers with Equal Pay Registration Certificates (EPRC) about changes that will impact upcoming filings.

Key updates include:

• A new, standardized data template with additional...

By Joanna Colosimo

In the wake of the revocation of Executive Order (EO) 11246, many equal employment opportunity (EEO) and compliance leaders are re-evaluating their state non-discrimination and affirmative action plan (AAP) requirements that may...

By Lisa Harpe and Michael Aamodt

A number of DCI blogs and resources have summarized recent executive actions across the employment landscape. One theme across these actions is an emphasis on “merit-based” decision making. Although not explicitly...

By Lynn Clements, David Cohen, and Victoria Lipnic

NOTE: This article was originally published in Law360

On Jan. 21, Executive Order 14173, titled "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," revoked the requirement that...

By Joanna Colosimo and David Cohen

The National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance, and AIDS Foundation of Chicago have come together to challenge a series of Executive Orders (EO) issued by President Trump including EO 14151, “Ending...

By David Cohen and Joanna Colosimo

In a recent development, America First Legal (AFL) has formally requested the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to investigate federal contractors that allegedly have...

By David Cohen, Joanna Colosimo, and Mitchell Chamberlin

On February 5, 2025, Representatives Shontel Brown (Ohio) and Jamie Raskin (Maryland) introduced House Resolution 989 (HR 989) to codify Executive Order 11246, which was revoked by President...

By Joanna Colosimo and David Cohen

February 26, 2024 Update:

On Monday, February 24, 2025, the Trump administration filed an appeal, ensuring that the case will proceed to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Original Blog:

In a significant legal move,...

By Joanna Colosimo and Mitchell Chamberlin

On February 13, 2025, the Department of Labor announced the opening of the HIRE Vets Medallion Award cycle. This award is the only federal award recognizing employers for investing in recruiting, employing...

By: David Cohen and Joanna Colosimo

On February 5, 2025, Charles Ezell, Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), issued a memorandum to heads of Federal departments and agencies providing further guidance on ending...

By: David Cohen and Joanna Colosimo

On February 13, 2025, the Attorneys General from 16 states issued guidance to address concerns from businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations regarding the importance and legality of diversity, equity,...

By: Fred Satterwhite and Kate Hayek

California’s Civil Rights Department (CA CRD) has beaten federal government agencies in the race to collect and present data using updated race and ethnicity categories.

As we mentioned last week, CA CRD opened...

By: Mitchell Chamberlin and Joanna Colosimo

January 31, 2025 Update: The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs website now lists Michael Schloss as Acting Director and Deputy Director of Policy. 

Original Blog: Sources within the Department...

By: Haley Fisk

The State of California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) has released key dates for the upcomingpay data reportingcycle. As highlighted on theCA Pay Data Reporting webpage, the 2024 cycle will begin with the portal opening for...

By: Bill Osterndorf

While the federal government is ending most affirmative action obligations, the states continue to enforce their affirmative action requirements.The revocation of Executive Order 11246and the various efforts to end diversity,...

By: Joanna Colosimo and Mitchell Chamberlin

On January 23, 2025, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued a statement in response to an Executive Order President Trump issued titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and...

In response to the revocation of Executive Order 11246, DCI Consulting President and Owner David Cohen and several industry leaders released a joint statement providing guidance to federal contractors. This guidance highlights the continuing...

By: Joanna Colosimo & Mitchell Chamberlin

Last night, President Trump revoked Executive Order 11246 with a new Order titled, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity."This new Order effectively ends affirmative action in...

By: Angie Delacruz and Melissa Haudek

Federal hiring is seeing a resurgencein its transformation with the Chance to Compete Act of 2024, a law designed to prioritize skills-based assessments over traditional hiring methodssuch as the use of degree...

By: Brittney Brinkley and Evan Szarenski

On January 8, 2025, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (“FAR Council”) published a notice in the Federal Register withdrawing last year’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Pay Equity and...

By: Stephanie Horn

As DCI has previously reported, the State of Minnesota has a pay transparency law requiring employers to include certain pay and benefits information in job postings that became effective on January 1, 2025. The pay transparency...