In keeping with the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) vision to foster and promote the welfare of job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is committed to expanding equal employment opportunities and eliminating discrimination in the workplaces of federal contractors. As an administrator of federal equal employment opportunity laws and regulations, OFCCP conducts compliance evaluations, complaint investigations, and offers compliance assistance, all of which have the potential to generate questions, concerns, or issues that might impact successful coordination between OFCCP and stakeholders.

Accordingly, the mission of the OFCCP Ombuds is to ensure that all who are involved with the work of the agency have access to an impartial and confidential resource, one that operates independently and informally. The vision of the Ombuds Service is that any of the following can be offered:

  • Informal, one-on-one conversations with the Ombuds.
  • A series of more in-depth, strategizing and/or conflict coaching sessions.
  • Facilitated dialogue involving OFCCP and stakeholders.
  • Shuttle diplomacy between stakeholders and OFCCP.
  • Mediation to resolve issues which persist, despite other preliminary attempts at resolution.
  • Presentations to stakeholders and OFCCP staff to share programmatic updates and explore opportunities for collaboration with the Ombuds Service.
  • Design and delivery of conflict resolution trainings and workshops.
  • Implementation of other dispute resolution systems, as necessary.
  • Referral to other resources within or outside of DOL, when applicable.

The Ombuds approaches each situation as its own unique circumstance and will identify a mechanism, however informal, which best addresses the problem at hand and the needs of those involved.

Ombuds Defined and Purpose for the Ombuds Service

Contact the Ombuds Service

You are welcome to contact the OFCCP Ombuds Service by phone, email, or using the Ombuds Service Referral Form (see below under “Related Pages”). To preserve as much confidentiality as is needed within the parameters of a concern, responses received through the online referral form may, but do not need to, include a name or contact information. Please note that if a completed referral form does not include contact information, the concern itself will be handled anonymously, meaning that the Ombuds Service will still track and potentially relay issues that appropriate staff or divisions within OFCCP should otherwise be made aware of, but will have no way of following up with the person who submitted the form. Regardless of how contact is initiated, every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

Please feel free to contact the ombuds today!

Marcus Stergio, Ombuds
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave NW
Room C3325
(202) 693-1174
stergio.marcus@dol.gov