Washington, D.C. — Today, after the Obama administration released draft regulations related to its “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” executive order, David Madland and Karla Walter of the Center for American Progress Action Fund’s American Worker Project said in a statement that workers and taxpayers alike will reap the benefits of the executive order. Once implemented, the order will help ensure that companies comply with workplace laws before they are able to receive new federal contracts.
In response to the draft regulations, Madland, Director of the American Worker Project, said:
Until now, contractors that have violated basic workplace laws by committing rampant wage theft or overseeing unsafe working conditions have been subject to only a weak review during the bidding process for federal contracts worth millions of dollars. Even companies held responsible for worker deaths have continued to be eligible for and have even received lucrative government contracts. The Obama administration’s “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” executive order will help ensure that companies with long track records of violating workplace safety and wage laws clean up their acts before receiving new contracts.
Walter, Associate Director of the American Worker Project, added:
The draft regulations put forth by the administration today represent an important step towards ensuring that workers employed by federal contractors are paid fairly and have safe workplaces while making sure that law-abiding businesses can compete on an even playing field. Since research has shown that companies with long records of violations frequently deliver poor-quality services to the government, the executive action will also mean that taxpayer dollars are going to businesses that will produce the best value for the government. The administration should continue to use the rulemaking process to facilitate stakeholder input and ensure that the final rule delivers robust protections for workers, taxpayers, and law-abiding businesses.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Allison Preiss at [email protected] or 202.478.6331.
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