Tough Enforcement, Outreach Efforts Protect More Workers

Department of Labor Announces 31% Increase in Financial Remedies Recovered for Victims of Discrimination

WASHINGTON—Results released today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) show that the agency's success in enforcing anti-discrimination laws among federal contractors benefited more than 3 million workers. More than 6,500 investigations the agency conducted this year covered more workers than any year since 1991 and yielded $34,567,070 in financial remedies for 10,729 victims of unlawful discriminationa 31% increase over the previous fiscal year.

The Bush Administration's commitment to combating systemic discrimination in the workplace is exemplified by the OFCCP's achievements on behalf of victims of discrimination said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. The quality of investigations has improved and the 31 percent increase in financial remedies for workers in the last fiscal year is a great achievement.

OFCCP recovered nearly $18 million for 6,150 women in FY 2004. OFCCP also conducted 50 Corporate Management Reviews, often called Glass Ceiling Audits, which ensure that women do not face discriminatory barriers to advancement into management and executive positions.

We continue to focus on rooting out and remedying systemic discrimination, which means we focus our resources on employers who demonstrate a pattern of discrimination or on cases that involve the largest number of workers, explained OFFCP chief Charles James. Our record shows that the strategy is working to create workplaces free of discrimination.

OFCCP obtained more than $11.7 million in financial remedies for nearly 3,000 workers through cases litigated by the Office of the Solicitor. Among these cases was a $5.5 million compensation discrimination settlement with Wachovia, one of the largest settlements on behalf of workers in OFCCP's history. In addition, the Solicitor's Office filed three new cases this year that could yield up to $6.7 million in remedies.

OFCCP enforces laws that prohibit federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment based on race, gender, color, religion, national origin, disability or covered veteran status. For additional information, please visit www.dol.gov.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.