Federal contractor disability compliance audits largely halted, GAO report finds
A GAO review reveals that the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has stopped routine audits of disability compliance for federal contractors, leaving oversight weakened.
According to a GAO report, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has effectively ceased its routine audits of federal contractors for compliance with disability discrimination rules, specifically Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. This pause follows a broader reduction of the agency’s staff, which fell from almost 500 full-time employees at the start of fiscal 2025 to under 80 by fiscal 2026, and a consolidation of field offices from 50 to six.
The Department of Labor also updated regulations, eliminating the mandate for contractors to establish a 7% disability hiring target or to collect self-identification data. Between fiscal years 2017 and 2025, the OFCCP performed nearly 9,000 audits, uncovering violations in about 15.7% of cases. Agency director Kenneth J. Wolfe confirmed that there are currently no plans to restart either the certification of affirmative-action programs or Section 503 audits, though the office is investigating disability-related complaints. The GAO recommended that the OFCCP resume these oversight activities and improve workforce planning.
Why it matters
Without regular audits, enforcement of disability hiring protections for federal contractors becomes uncertain, potentially harming workers with disabilities.
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