60-741.5—Equal opportunity clause.
(a) Government contracts.
Each contracting agency and each contractor shall include the following equal opportunity clause in each of its covered Government contracts or subcontracts (and modifications, renewals, or extensions thereof if not included in the original contract):
Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities
1. The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of physical or mental disability in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified. The contractor agrees to take affirmative action to employ, advance in employment and otherwise treat qualified individuals with disabilities without discrimination based on their physical or mental disability in all employment practices, including the following:
i. Recruitment, advertising, and job application procedures;
ii. Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award of tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, right of return from layoff and rehiring;
iii. Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in compensation;
iv. Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures, position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;
v. Leaves of absence, sick leave, or any other leave;
vi. Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or not administered by the contractor;
vii. Selection and financial support for training, including apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training;
viii. Activities sponsored by the contractor including social or recreational programs; and
ix. Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.
2. The contractor agrees to comply with the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor issued pursuant to the act.
3. In the event of the contractor's noncompliance with the requirements of this clause, actions for noncompliance may be taken in accordance with the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor issued pursuant to the act.
4. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices in a form to be prescribed by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Contract Compliance Programs, provided by or through the contracting officer. Such notices shall state the rights of applicants and employees as well as the contractor's obligation under the law to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified employees and applicants with disabilities. The contractor must ensure that applicants and employees with disabilities are informed of the contents of the notice (e.g., the contractor may have the notice read to a visually disabled individual, or may lower the posted notice so that it might be read by a person in a wheelchair).
5. The contractor will notify each labor organization or representative of workers with which it has a collective bargaining agreement or other contract understanding, that the contractor is bound by the terms of section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and is committed to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals with physical or mental disabilities.
6. The contractor will include the provisions of this clause in every subcontract or purchase order in excess of $10,000, unless exempted by the rules, regulations, or orders of the Secretary issued pursuant to section 503 of the act, as amended, so that such provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor. The contractor will take such action with respect to any subcontract or purchase order as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Contract Compliance Programs may direct to enforce such provisions, including action for noncompliance.
(b) Subcontracts.
Each contractor shall include the equal opportunity clause in each of its subcontracts subject to this part.
(c) Adaption of language.
Such necessary changes in language may be made to the equal opportunity clause as shall be appropriate to identify properly the parties and their undertakings.
(d) Inclusion of the equal opportunity clause in the contract.
It is not necessary that the equal opportunity clause be quoted verbatim in the contract. The clause may be made a part of the contract by citation to 41 CFR 60-741.5(a).
(e) Incorporation by operation of the act.
By operation of the act, the equal opportunity clause shall be considered to be a part of every contract and subcontract required by the act and the regulations in this part to include such a clause, whether or not it is physically incorporated in such contract and whether or not there is a written contract between the agency and the contractor.
(f) Duties of contracting agencies.
Each contracting agency shall cooperate with the Deputy Assistant Secretary and the Secretary in the performance of their responsibilities under the act. Such cooperation shall include insuring that the equal opportunity clause is included in all covered Government contracts and that contractors are fully informed of their obligations under the act and this part, providing the Deputy Assistant Secretary with any information which comes to the agency's attention that a contractor is not in compliance with the act or this part, responding to requests for information from the Deputy Assistant Secretary, and taking such actions for noncompliance as are set forth in § 60-741.66 as may be ordered by the Secretary or the Deputy Assistant Secretary.