Change is Sure to Come to the DOL in an Obama Administration

by Richard J Simon

This year, 2008, will be remembered in American History as a truly significant year for diversity in America with the election of Sen. Barack Obama as President of the United States. There is no doubt that the American people have come a long ways in treating everyone as equals and putting aside race and gender differences. However, now is not the time for diversity managers to relax their efforts within Corporate America.

There have already been comments by some companies indicating that they don't see diversity and inclusion efforts as high priority items now that Obama was elected. In reality, this is the time for companies to step up their efforts in diversity and inclusion before the new Obama administration takes charge of the DOL which oversees the EEOC and OFCCP.

For the last eight years, Republican control of the DOL has had a business friendly stance and has not enforced regulations with as much conviction as they could have. Their goal was the "help" companies through the process and not to penalize them unless they were completely negligent in their practices. Putting aside Obama is the first elected African American President of the United States, he is also a Democrat which is surely to bring changes in how the DOL enforces regulations. You can be sure that racial and gender inequalities in a company's workforce will be scrutinized more than maybe in the past eight years.

Obama indicated in his election acceptance speech that his election was only the first step when reflecting on the lifetime of Ann Nixon Cooper, a 106-year old Atlanta Woman. “She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that ‘We Shall Overcome,’” he said. “And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.” He continued by saying “We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves—if our children should live to see the next century, if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?”

In the tough economic conditions we currently face and the promise of a new Obama Administration to create new jobs through public works projects and other government initiatives, you can be sure that companies with a strong diversity and inclusion program will be in the forefront to take advantage of the new contracts to be awarded. At the same time, it is tempting for many companies to use the election of Obama and the tough economic times to put diversity efforts on the back burner.

Lisa Gardner, MSOD, SPHR, a Washington, DC area organization effectiveness consultant recently was quoted as saying: “The current economic recession will likely reduce organizational focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives for organizations struggling to stay in business who don’t understand the value of diversity and inclusion as a strategic business advantage. However, Obama’s presidency and future cabinet appointments will likely result in expanded focus on diversity and inclusion among enlightened organizations, as well as within federal government and government contractors seeking to remain competitive in a tightening economy.”

It is clear that now is the time to increase diversity and inclusion efforts within your company, not scale them back. Speediware is here to help its clients get back on track with their Affirmative Action Plan and Applicant Recruiting and Tracking if they have fallen behind and to help clients stay competitive going forward into these tough and uncertain times.