Friday, May 8, 2020: OFCCP Ombudsman Tells it as it is to the Indy ILG
Indianapolis Industry Liaison Group (ILG) Chair Candee Chambers called its quarterly meeting to order via Zoom for the first time on Friday, launching a meeting which drew together one of the most well-attended meetings to date. The jury is still out on whether Zoom was the big attraction or the Indy Group’s guest speaker, OFCCP Ombudsman Marcus Stergio, or both, but it was one of those exciting meetings to remember!!
It was a big week for Mr. Stergio as the OFCCP Ombuds Service dedicated webpage went live Wednesday (see story above). Marcus reported that his phone has been ringing off the hook ever since! He spent a full hour chatting with the group on his relevant experience (which is extensive), his vision for the program (informal and strategic), and his referrals thus far (in general terms).
Before Wednesday’s webpage announcement, Marcus informed the group he had managed 28 referrals for mediation. The majority of these referrals came from external stakeholders representing a contractor, followed by contractors themselves, some referrals from the National Office, and even a couple from OFCCP Regional and District Offices. Since Wednesday, though, Marcus shared with us that his referral intake had doubled!
- What issues are being raised?
- How does the process work?
- What parts are confidential – how can Contractors be sure?
- Has Marcus participated in any Conciliation Agreements?
- Has Marcus been involved at the point of an issuance of a Notice of Violation (NOV)?
- Can he offer solutions or just facilitate?
- Is he REALLY independent of the Agency?
These are a few of the great questions Marcus answered and elaborated on to the group.
Want to hear the answers to these and other questions you may have? Tune in to DirectEmployers’ One-On-One with Marcus on May 20, 2020!
Free Registration to all – join the conversation (or just listen in)!
On a Different Note
On behalf of DirectEmployers and the Indy ILG, we want to wish Maxine Manus, OFCCP District Director of no fewer than four Midwest OFCCP District and Area offices (Indianapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Omaha), a warm wish of congratulations on her retirement at the end of this month. Maxine has dedicated over 40 years to the Federal Government, with the last 13 years dedicated to the OFCCP. Thank you, Maxine, and we wish you well!
Of course, Ms. Manus’ retirement will deepen the managerial staffing crisis in OFCCP’s Midwest Region since the four District and Area Offices Maxine has managed will join the Chicago District Office in search of a District Director (thus leaving District Director and Area Office manager vacancies in 5 of the 9 District and Area Offices (representing more than half of OFCCP’s offices in the Midwest Region).
Note: OFCCP Area Offices lack an on-site manager, but rather are managed from a District Director from his or her District Office. These six District and Area Office Director vacancies will also join two other key vacancies in the Chicago Regional Office: Deputy Regional Director and Director of Regional Operations (DORO). After Maxine’s retirement, only four OFCCP managers will be left to manage the OFCCP Chicago Region and its five District Offices and four Area Offices.