Trump Administration's Budget Proposes Major Changes For OFCCP

On May 23, 2017, the Trump Administration released its proposed fiscal year 2018 budget. Not surprisingly, the budget proposes significant changes for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ("OFCCP").  In the Department of Labor's budget proposal, the Administration has laid the groundwork to merge the OFCCP into the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") by the end of fiscal year 2018.  The merger is touted as intended to promote "greater policy coordination, management efficiency, and cost-effectiveness."  According to the Administration, maintaining OFCCP as a separate agency "does not take full advantage of the opportunities to improve employment civil rights protection."  It is worth noting that although the merger is the focal point of the OFCCP budget proposal, it appears to have little support outside of the Administration. Indeed, opposition to the proposal is shared by both business groups and workers' rights advocates.