Government Contractor Relationship Guide
Government contractors are held to the same standard hiring practices as federal employers. While some of the compliance requirements can be difficult to follow, there are a few basic rules that you can apply to your company – and might already follow. Employees have many resources to know their rights, so you should know them first.
One of the top questions that employee contractors ask about is non-discrimination. Here is what you need to know about posting employees’ rights notices and other non-discrimination materials within your organization.
The Fair Labor Standards Act Poster
Every private, federal, state and local government employer must hang the “Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act” poster in a location and a language where employees can read it. This is typically hung in the break room or clock-in area so employees can know their rights and make sure that they are not being violated. The poster is available in multiple languages, and you can find copies in English and Spanish on the Department of Labor website.
This FLSA poster can be shared digitally, and your company is allowed to make changes to the poster if it is exempt from some federal policies. The example that the DOL uses is that some small businesses aren’t covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, and therefore don’t need to post that part of the poster. Otherwise, it is up to you to make sure that the poster visible and your employees are familiar with its contents.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Poster
Along with the FLSA guidelines, employers must also display the “EEO is the Law” poster, which was developed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This poster explains that under Equal Employment Opportunity standards, companies cannot discriminate based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, equal pay, disability or genetic information. This applies to full-time, part-time, and contract employees.
You can find copies of the poster on the website. There are also copies in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Poster
The third poster that you need to display within your workplace is created by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This poster is called OSHA Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law and covers topics related to employees having a right to a safe workplace.
If an employer violates safety standards or puts employees in unnecessary risk in order to save time or money, then those employees have a right to file a complaint with OSHA to keep their workplace safe.
You can order copies of this poster on the OSHA website in English and in Spanish. It is also available in more than 10 other languages.
Some States have Additional Laws
While federal guidelines are a good place to start to make sure you are staying compliant in your non-discrimination practices, it is also important to research laws and guidelines on a state level. For example, California recently passed additional anti-discrimination laws that require employers to make employees aware of their rights and to develop a complaint process where employees can safely bring discrimination to light.
Even if you are following all of the federal guidelines within your organization, you will still need to keep up with state guidelines in order to operate your business legally.
Stay Compliant in Your Hiring and Employee Management Practices
Government contractors work hard to maintain their relationships with their clients – namely the federal government. The best way to do this is to know what rules you are expected to follow and to take steps to maintain compliance. This is where Corban OneSource comes in. We specialize in government contractor hiring and employee relations through effective hiring, onboarding, benefits practices, and our government contractor relationship guide. We make sure your hiring practices and payroll meet proper compliance so you can focus on growing your client relationships. Click on the red Get Started Button at the top right hand corner of this page and fill out the form. We will get in contact with you to go over your options.
