DirectEmployers Blog
The EEOC Just Told You Where It’s Looking Next: A Federal Contractor’s Guide to the New National Enforcement Plan
Key Takeaways On June 4, 2026, the EEOC formally approved a new National Enforcement Plan (NEP) covering fiscal years 2025–2029, replacing the agency's previous Strategic Enforcement Plan. The NEP reaffirms the EEOC's three-pronged approach to eliminating workplace...
FY2027 Appropriations Bill Proposes to Zero Out OFCCP & Cut DOL Funding by 27%
Key Takeaways On June 4, 2026, the House Appropriations Committee released its FY2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Bill, with a subcommittee markup underway as of June 5th. The bill proposes to eliminate all...
DOL Waves in a New Era of Regulatory Clarity with Four Fresh FLSA Opinion Letters
Key Takeaways The Department of Labor’s latest batch of FLSA opinion letters (FLSA2026-5 through FLSA2026-8) signals a sharp return to clear, scenario-specific compliance assistance as shared by Administrator Rogers at DEAMcon26. Key rulings confirm that salaried...
Section 503 Compliance: Key Considerations for Employers
Key Takeaways Section 503 compliance is about more than meeting federal requirements—it’s about creating a workplace where individuals with disabilities can successfully apply, contribute, and grow. Employers should take a holistic approach by reviewing their...
What Is a CBO? How Federal Contractors Can Turn Community Partnerships Into Talent Pipelines
Key Takeaways Community-based organizations (CBOs) are nonprofit workforce development partners that connect federal contractors to skilled, job-ready candidates from underrepresented communities—including protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and more....
EEOC Proposes to Rescind EEO-1 Reporting Requirements: What Happened, Where the Process Stands & How this Affects Federal Contractors
Key Takeaways On May 14, 2026, the EEOC submitted a formal proposal to the White House's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to rescind EEO-1 reporting requirements, along with EEO-2 through EEO-5. It’s important to note that this is a proposal, not a...
DEAMcon26 Day 3 Recap: Pay Equity, ChatGPT, Free Sourcing Tools, and a Closing That Left Nobody Comfortable Staying Still
Key Takeaways The final day of DEAMcon26 delivered a high-density roadmap for navigating the intersection of talent acquisition, AI, and federal compliance. Key highlights included Brian Fink’s demonstration of free Google Custom Search Engines to bypass expensive...
Leadership Shift at the OFCCP: Kenneth J. Wolfe Named Director
Key Takeaways The transition from Ashley Romanias to Kenneth J. Wolfe signals a significant moment of change for the OFCCP, marking the agency’s third director in just over a year. As a long-time public servant with over 23 years of experience at HHS and a current...
DEAMcon26 Day 2 Recap: The Stakes Got Higher, the Conversations Got Sharper
Key Takeaways DEAMcon26 Day 2 shifted from high-level vision to ground-level reality, delivering a stark warning on the rise of AI-enhanced candidate fraud and the legal dangers of "deliberate ignorance" in EEO compliance. Key takeaways highlighted the "AI sandwich"...
DEAMcon26 Day 1 Recap: 25 Years, One Room, and a Regulatory Landscape That Isn’t Waiting for Anyone
Key Takeaways Day 1 of DEAMcon26 kicked off DirectEmployers' 25th-anniversary celebration by navigating a high-stakes regulatory transition, highlighting a pivot from traditional OFCCP oversight to DOJ-led enforcement under the False Claims Act—underscored by the...