U.S. Department of Labor honors five organizations for creating equal opportunities in the workplace

Raytheon Co. receives prestigious Secretary of Labors Opportunity Award

WASHINGTON — For their efforts to promote equal employment opportunity (EEO), five 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, the Exemplary Voluntary Efforts (EVE) Award and the Exemplary Public Interest Contribution (EPIC) Award — were presented to recognize innovative workplace programs and initiatives that increase equal employment opportunities for American workers.

"The organizations honored here today have demonstrated their commitment to increasing opportunity and diversity in America's workforce," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "These awards are very special because they showcase organizations that have chosen to promote a culture of diversity and ensure that the doors of opportunity remain wide open for everyone."

The Secretary of Labor's Opportunity Award is the department's most prestigious honor that recognizes exemplary and innovative workplace diversity efforts by federal contractors. That award was accepted by Raytheon Co. Chief Executive Officer William Swanson for the company's initiatives designed to afford equal access to job opportunities for both applicants and employees.

The three contractors receiving EVE Awards for their outstanding EEO programs were Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Ill.; Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.; and Public Service Enterprise Group in Newark, N.J.

OFCCP also recognized one public interest organization with an EPIC Award. EPIC Award winners are typically organizations that help individuals with the least opportunities find and retain employment and are often aligned with federal contractors to further EEO in the workplace. The recipient of this year's award is Sensory Access Foundation in Sunnyvale, Calif.

More information on the award winners can be found at www.dol.gov/ofccp/media/reports/evenom.htm.

OFCCP, an agency of the 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 veteran status.

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