Hunton Employment & Labor Perspectives

Employees in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) across the country have been placed on administrative leave. The move is part of the Administration’s broader federal workforce reduction efforts.

The email communication, sent Wednesday, April 16, by newly appointed OFCCP Director Catherine Eschbach, notified staff in the agency’s enforcement division—both at the national office and in five of six U.S. regional offices—of their change in status. Eschbach cited a “significantly reduced scope of mission” as the reason behind the administrative action.

The OFCCP, which monitors federal contractors for compliance with anti-discrimination and, prior to the rescinding of Executive Order 11246, affirmative action laws, has been a key target in the Administration’s plan to streamline the Department of Labor (DOL). Executive Order 14173 issued in January 2025, which rescinded Executive Order 11246, curtailed the agency’s authority by eliminating or reducing key legal and oversight powers.

As discussed in our prior blog post, a February 25 memo from the DOL outlined plans to ultimately eliminate up to 90% of OFCCP’s workforce. The April 16 notice to OFCCP employees came two days after a final deadline for staff to opt into voluntary exit programs, including deferred resignation and early retirement.

The administrative leave impacts primarily the enforcement staff, meaning the national office’s policy, operations, and administrative branches will remain as well as the Southwest and Rocky Mountain (SWARM) regional office, according to Eschbach’s message.

 Employers should work with outside counsel to stay abreast of government changes and understand how they may impact their companies.