U.S. Department of Labor Honors Seven Organizations for Creating Opportunities in the Workplace

WASHINGTON — For their efforts to promote equal employment opportunity, seven companies and organizations were honored today by the U.S. Department of Labor at an annual awards ceremony hosted by the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

Three types of awards — the Secretary of Labor's Opportunity Award, Exemplary Voluntary Efforts Award, and Exemplary Public Interest Contribution Award — were presented to recognize innovative workplace programs and initiatives that increase equal employment opportunity for the American workforce.

"These employers are to be commended for their efforts to promote equal employment opportunities at their workplaces," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "Their commitment to ensure that people with disabilities, veterans, people of color and women have access to gainful employment and the American dream is laudatory."

The Secretary of Labor's Opportunity Award, OFCCP's most prestigious honor, was awarded to Dell, Inc. of Round Rock, Texas for its innovative programs and initiatives designed to ensure equal opportunities for all applicants and employees. The three contractors receiving Exemplary Voluntary Efforts Awards for their outstanding equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs were Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Bright Horizons Family Solutions of Watertown, Massachusetts; and Southern Methodist University of Dallas.

OFCCP also recognized three public interest organizations with Exemplary Public Interest Contribution Awards for their support of federal contractors in their EEO efforts. These organizations are typically formed to help individuals with the least opportunities find and retain employment, and are often aligned with federal contractors to further EEO in the workplace. The recipients were Tommy Nobis Center of Marietta, Georgia; Operation Stand Down Nashville, Inc. of Nashville, Tennessee; and Cypress Mandela/ Women in Skilled Trades Center of Oakland, California.

OFCCP, an agency of the U.S. Labor Department's Employment Standards Administration, enforces Executive Order 11246 and other laws that prohibit employment discrimination by federal contractors. The agency monitors federal contractors to ensure that they provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, gender, color, religion, national origin, disability or veterans' status.

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