Two weeks after reports emerged that a new director of the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) had been appointed, according to the OFCCP’s website, Ondray T. Harris has been appointed as the next director of the OFCCP. The OFCCP’s website lists former Acting Director Thomas Dowd as the Deputy Director of the agency, while Craig Leen, who was previously reported to have been appointed the OFCCP’s director, is listed as the agency’s Senior Advisor.
According to his LinkedIn page, Director Harris is has a long history of government service. He began his career as an Assistant Attorney General for Virginia. He then moved to private practice as a management-side labor and employment attorney. He joined to the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) as the Deputy Chief of Employment Litigation in 2005. He held that position until May 2007. He later served for three years as the Director of the DOJ’s Community Relations Service. Subsequently, Mr. Harris was appointed the Executive Director of the Washington, DC Public Employee Relations Board. He resigned from that position in 2013. Before joining the Department of Labor earlier this year as Senior Advisor, Mr. Harris worked as a consultant and legal advisor.
It is too early to tell what Director Harris’ appointment means for the direction of the OFCCP. However, now that the Trump Administration has chosen its first OFCCP Director, it is likely changes are coming. We will continue to monitor and report developments.