President Obama Issues Fair Pay and Safe Workplace Executive Order, NAACP Response
Posted on July 31, 2014
President Barack Obama signed an executive order to improve working conditions for employees of federal contractors, some of whom have gone on strike over what they contend are unfair labor practices by companies doing business with the U.S. government. In response to the executive order, the NAACP released the following statement.
Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President and CEO:
We applaud President Obama for signing an executive order that requires federal contractors to comply with antidiscrimination laws. This very important and comprehensive executive order will ensure that taxpayers aren’t supporting companies that discriminate, steal wages, or fail to protect the health and safety of their employees. Promoting competition and protecting civil rights in federal contacting is a measure of both our business ethics and democratic values.
Hilary O. Shelton, Washington Bureau Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy:
The NAACP applauds President Obama for taking the important and necessary step of signing the Fair Pay and Safe Workplace executive order that requires companies and federal contractors to fully implement U.S. labor law policies.
The executive order:
- Requires prospective contractors to disclose labor violations from the past three years before they can receive a federal contract,
- Assigns labor compliance advisors to monitor federal contractors,
- Improves the efficiency of federal contracting to help advance greater cost effectiveness,
- Makes it easier for federal contractors that have demonstrated an investment in their workers safety and have worked to maintain a fair and equitable workplace in securing federal contracts,
- Helps more federal contractors come to compliance with workplace protections,
- Directs companies with contracts of $1 million or more to not require their employees to enter into pre-dispute arbitration agreements for disputes arising out of title 7 of the civil rights act or for torts related to sexual assault or harassment,
- Requires contractors to provide to their employees not only basic information about their hours and wages but will also information require information concerning their hours worked, overtime hours pay, and any additions to or deductions made from their pay.
- Directs the General Service Administration to develop a single website for contractors to meet their reporting requirements.
By cracking down on offenders, the president is helping to ensure that all Americans working for federal contractors get the fair pay and safe workplaces they deserve.