US OFCCP News

Ryan Companies US to Pay $350K for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation

Ryan Companies US Inc. has entered into a conciliation agreement with OFCCP to pay $350,000 in monetary relief following an investigation that found employees subjected to sexual harassment, hostile work environment, and retaliation at Des Moines metro-area federally funded construction projects. The harassment occurred between March 2021 and February 2024 on projects including a U.S. federal courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa. The settlement also requires compliance with injunctive relief and routine monitoring by OFCCP.

DISH Network Enters Consent Decree to Submit Affirmative Action Program Documents

The U.S. Department of Labor entered into a consent decree with DISH Network on December 19, 2024, requiring the federal contractor to submit affirmative action program documents for nine establishments following an August 2023 administrative complaint. DISH Network must provide programs and data for two locations by December 31, 2024, and for the remaining seven locations by June 30, 2025. The decree resolves litigation where DISH had refused OFCCP compliance reviews, claiming its contracts did not meet the threshold value requiring AAP submissions.

US Department of Labor Appoints Catherine Eschbach OFCCP Director

Catherine Eschbach has been appointed director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) by the U.S. Department of Labor, effective March 24, 2025. Prior to her appointment, Eschbach spent six years at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in their appellate group, and she clerked for Chief Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Judge David Hittner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Eschbach stated she is committed to carrying out President Trump's executive orders, including mandates for federal contractors to wind down DEI practices within 90 days following the recission of EO 11246.