Like all employers, federal contractors cannot discriminate against employees and applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or because they inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or that of others, subject to certain limitations. Federal contractors with 50 or more employees and a single Federal contract or subcontract of $150,000 or more also must develop and maintain an affirmative action program. Violators are given an opportunity to correct noncompliance so they won’t lose their contractors or suffer other consequences. The DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs issued a final rule covers processes by which the agency notifies federal contractors of the government’s findings during the compliance evaluations it conducts, and how it seeks to conciliate matters in which it finds a violation of its regulations prior to referring a matter to the Office of the Solicitor for possible enforcement. #IdeaoftheDay