To codify Executive Order 11246 titled "Equal Employment Opportunity".
This bill would take Executive Order 11246, which currently directs nondiscrimination and affirmative action for federal employees and for government contractors and subcontractors, and place it into statute. In other words, it would give EO 11246 the full force and effect of federal law. The provision codifies the same core protections—prohibiting discrimination on certain bases and requiring affirmative action by contractors—so that the policy would endure as statutory law regardless of executive branch actions. By turning the executive order into law, the bill would preserve and reinforce existing EEO safeguards and enforcement mechanisms under the OFCCP (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs) and related civil rights authorities, subject to the statutory framework that accompanies laws (e.g., potential penalties, compliance requirements, audits, and remedies) rather than relying solely on a presidential directive.
Key Points
- 1Codification of EO 11246: The bill would give the Equal Employment Opportunity provisions of EO 11246 the full force and effect of law, making them statutory requirements.
- 2Scope of coverage: Applies to nondiscrimination in government employment and in employment by government contractors and subcontractors that do business with the federal government, preserving the scope of EO 11246.
- 3Prohibited bases: Reaffirms prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin (and related protections already in EO 11246).
- 4Affirmative action obligations: Contractors and subcontractors would continue to be required to take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity in employment, including the maintenance of plans and related compliance activities.
- 5Enforcement and remedies: Enforcement would follow the existing framework under the law as applied to federal contractors, including oversight, audits, potential penalties, and actions like debarment for noncompliance, administered through federal agencies such as the OFCCP.