# GAO Urges DOL to Resume Section 503 Audits

A Government Accountability Office report found that the Department of Labor substantially reduced oversight of federal contractors’ Section 503 obligations beginning in 2025, including suspending or scaling back compliance audits. GAO recommends that DOL resume audits and improve workforce planning and contractor guidance. For federal contractors, reduced audit activity does not remove the need to maintain disability nondiscrimination and affirmative action programs or records supporting them.

- Contractors should periodically assess disability-related programs covering nondiscrimination, affirmative outreach, reasonable accommodations, retention, and advancement, and keep records ready for review.
- DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is central to contractor oversight; GAO’s recommendations point to potential renewed audit activity and improved guidance, but the signal gives no implementation timeline.
- Procurement and compliance teams can use the report’s findings to review how Section 503 responsibilities are documented and maintained across their federal contracting operations.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 07, 2026

### Government Entities
- Government Accountability Office (GAO)
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)

### Sources
- [GAO Puts Disability Compliance Back in the Spotlight: What Federal Contractors Should Do Now | PilieroMazza PLLC - JDSupra](https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/gao-puts-disability-compliance-back-in-2742467) - JDSupra