Friday, February 12, 2021
In recent weeks, a number of federal legislative measures have been introduced that, if passed, will have significant impacts on federal labor and employment policies.
Paycheck Fairness Act
On Jan. 28, Democrats in the House of Representatives reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act. The proposed bill will update the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by, among other things, requiring employers to demonstrate that wage differentials between men and women employees are based on factors other than sex. Other key provisions include prohibiting retaliation against workers who inquire about their employers’ wage practices or disclose their own wages; strengthening penalties for equal pay violations; and prohibiting employers from inquiring about salary history during the hiring process.
• Jan 25, 2021
Credit Illustration by NPR
After an extraordinary inauguration ceremony marked by heightened security and coronavirus safety measures, President Joe Biden started his first day in office signing executive actions on climate change, immigration, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even before taking the oath of office, Biden was already addressing the nation about his ambitious plans to fight the twin crises of a pandemic and a flagging economy.
“We understand what you are going through,” Biden said in an address about what he called a rescue plan for the nation. “We will never ever give up and we will come back. We’ll come back together.”
Biden OFCCP Director Appointment Signals That More Pay Equity Enforcement is on the Horizon for Federal Contractors Friday, January 22, 2021
The new Biden administration wasted no time implementing changes at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). On January 20, 2021, the day of President Biden’s inauguration, the administration moved promptly to appoint Jenny Yang to serve as the OFCCP’S Director. This appointment does not require Senate confirmation, and went into effect immediately. The Government Contractor Update previously predicted that contractors should expect heightened pay equity enforcement from OFCCP under the Biden administration, and Director Yang’s appointment appears to be the first step towards the fulfillment of this prediction.
Female workers could take another pandemic hit: to their retirement
Jobless rates for women have spiked. Four times as many women as men dropped out of the labor force in September alone, and barely half that number returned during October and November, according to Center for American Progress research. New York Times
Source: Joohee Yoon/The New York Times
By Mark Miller
During the first months of the pandemic, Leah Tyrrell found that she could pull off a balancing act: working in sales for a San Diego clothing maker and caring for her three young daughters at home. Her hours had been reduced, and working remotely in the morning left her time to be with the children the rest of the day.