Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) and Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) co-signed a letter with 22 of their colleagues on September 18th urging Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to modernize the affirmative action goals set by the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs (OFCCP) in 1980 to reflect the realities of female participation in the construction industry today.
“Modernizing these contract requirements is a no-brainer,” said Congresswoman
DeLauro. “These OFCCP standards are based on forty-year-old data that in no way
reflect the considerable progress we have seen in the construction industry over
the past four decades. These standards should reflect the America of 2010, not
the America of 1970.”
Legal Momentum has been pushing to increase gender equity in non-traditional jobs as an important strategy for closing the stubborn wage gap that exists between male and female workers. Expanding pathways to good-paying jobs with benefits and paid sick days is vital to combating poverty and building economic security for women.
As Congresswoman DeLauro and Congressman Stark have pointed out, it's high time the federal government updated it's requirements to match the realities of a diverse construction industry, thereby opening the doors for more women to transition from low-wage work into strong, stable careers.
- Read Congresswoman DeLauro's OpEd from The Hill Newspaper: It’s time for OFCCP to reflect the 21st century.
- Read Rep. Delauro and Rep. Stark's letter to Secretary Solis.
- Read Legal Momentum's Report: From the Ground Up: Building Opportunities for Women in Construction.
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Read Legal Momentum’s recommendations for building a stronger OFCCP, supporting women in non-traditional fields, and thereby increasing pathways to better jobs here.