History of SSA During the Johnson Administration 1963-1968

COMPLIANCE

With the advent of the Medicare program in July 1966, it became necessary for the Federal Government to insure that contracting fiscal intermediaries and carriers were in compliance with Part II of Executive Order 11246 (Non-discrimination in Employment by Government Contractors and Subcontractors).{1} This function was given to the Special Staff for Employee Management Relations and Equal Employment Opportunity along with the responsibility for insuring compliance of those insurance companies holding contracts with the Civil Service Commission. During the approximately 18 months of operation of the Contracts Compliance program, these contractors (with an aggregate employment of almost 300,000 people in hundreds of offices across the country) have increased their staffs by about 12 percent. About 35 percent of this increase have been minority-group members. The total minority employment has increased by approximately 100% since 1966. This increase in minority hires has been the result of concentrated efforts in an industry which has had a history of very low percentage of minority employees, with many of these clustered in the lowest job categories.{2} Current efforts are being concentrated on improving promotional opportunities for minority group employees of these contractors.

Footnotes (Footnote numbers not same as in the printed version)

{1} Memorandum from Jack S. Futterman, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Administration to Mr. Robert M. Ball, Commissioner of Social Security dated April 14, 1966, Subject: Organization and staffing--SSA Special Staff for Employee Management Relations as Equal Employment Opportunity, Office of Administration.

{2} Confidential Administrative memorandum, and report from the Special Staff for Employee Management Relations and Equal Employment Opportunity to Congressman William F. Ryan dated April 16, 1968.