Federal Contractors

On February 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued a Notice announcing new minimum wage rates for workers performing work on or in connection with federal contracts covered by the 2014 Obama-era Executive Order 13658, which established a minimum wage for federal contractors and subcontractors. Effective May 11, 2026, the minimum wage for certain federal contracts will be $13.65 per hour for regular employees and $9.55 per hour for tipped employees.… Continue Reading

The City of Seattle recently succeeded in securing a partial injunction against the Trump Administration’s enforcement of two executive orders (EOs) under which the Administration threatened to withhold millions in federal grant funding to the City. Judge Barbara J. Rothstein’s decision in the Western District of Washington, if upheld on appeal, has significant implications for federal grant recipients and the conditions that may be imposed on federal funding related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender issues.… Continue Reading

President Trump’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 includes substantial reductions to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) budget and staff.  The proposed discretionary budget is slashed from $13.5 billion to $9 billion, reducing it by one third.  The number of employees is reduced by nearly 4,000 from 14,855 to 10,879—or a more than 25% cut. … Continue Reading

In our previous post, we discussed the nationwide temporary restraining order issued by the United States District Court for the North District of Illinois that temporarily prevented the Department of Labor from requiring federal contractors to certify that they do not operate any diversity, equity, or inclusion programs that violate the Trump Administration’s recent Executive Orders (“Certification Provision”).… Continue Reading

On March 27, 2025, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted a nationwide temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Department of Labor (DOL) from requiring federal contractors and grant recipients to certify that they do not operate any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that violate the Trump Administration’s recent DEI related Executive Orders.… Continue Reading

On March 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the appointment of Catherine Eschbach as Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the agency charged with overseeing regulation and enforcement of affirmative action laws for government contractors and subcontractors. Eschbach signaled a shift in the agency’s mission, stating the OFCCP “will restore a merit-based system to provide all workers with equal opportunity.”… Continue Reading

Following President Trump’s issuance of Executive Order 14148 on January 20, 2025, which rescinded 78 executive actions taken by Former President Biden, the President rescinded an additional slew of Biden-era executive actions on March 14. Among the 18 executive actions revoked is a duo of Executive Orders which applied to federal contractors and subcontractors and will impact labor and employment issues:

  1. Executive Order 14026 of April 27, 2021 (Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors); and
  2. Executive Order 14126 of September 6, 2024 (Investing in America and Investing in American Workers).
… Continue Reading

On March 10, 2025, in a 67-32 vote, the Senate confirmed the appointment of one-term Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the 30th Secretary of Labor and former EEOC Commissioner Keith Sonderling as Deputy Secretary.

Formally nominated by President Trump on January 20, 2025, Chavez-DeRemer (R) represented Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District from 2022-2024, sitting on House Committees for Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure.… Continue Reading

On the latest episode of our podcast, Business Better, our Ballard lawyers provide an update on the current status of the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and the steps employers should be taking as a result of the recent changes.

Leading this discussion is Lila Sevener, an Associate in Ballard’s Philadelphia office.… Continue Reading

The federal Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (Fair Chance Act) officially took effect this week on December 20, 2021.  The law was signed two years ago as Section 1123 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.

Known as the “Ban the Box” Act, it prohibits federal contractors from asking applicants seeking work under federal contracts about their criminal histories until after the contractor extends a conditional job offer.… Continue Reading