OFCCP and Employing Vets

I pass along OFCCP Implements New Program to Promote Employment of Veterans from Jackson Lewis' employment law updates.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has announced a program aimed at encouraging employment of military veterans by formally recognizing federal contractors and subcontractors that have undertaken successful efforts to employ covered veterans. The program, coined “Good-Faith Initiative for Veterans Employment” or “G-FIVE Initiative”, provides for a three-year exemption from OFCCP compliance reviews for those contractor or subcontractor establishments that receive a “G-FIVE Rating.”

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OFCCP will consider the following factors when determining if the Agency will bestow a G-FIVE Rating:

• the presence of covered veterans in the contractor’s workforce;
• an increase in the number of covered veterans in the contractor’s workforce;
• the number of partnerships with local veterans’ service organizations;
• an
  established relationship with the state employment service to
  facilitate the posting of job openings supported by evidence that
  appropriate job openings were listed and the number of veterans hired
  during the plan year;
• recruitment efforts at educational institutions designed to reach covered veterans;
• the number of job advertisements targeted at covered veterans;
• for
  prime contractors, evidence that demonstrates a commitment to encourage
  subcontractors to seek qualified covered veterans for employment;
• affirmative
  action steps to attract special disabled or disabled veterans through
  the nearest Veterans Administration job placement program; and
• the number of on-the-job training opportunities provided to covered veterans.

OFCCP also will review nominees for evidence of meritorious discrimination charges or a pending or settled systemic discrimination finding.

There are two ways an employer can be considered for a G-FIVE Rating:

1. contractors and subcontractors may self-nominate by
   submitting to the appropriate Regional Director a written statement
   expressing its interest in being considered for the G-FIVE Rating.
   However, if a contractor or subcontractor who self-nominates has not
   undergone a full compliance review within the last 24 months, the OFCCP
   will conduct a compliance review at the time of the self-n
2. each fiscal year, OFCCP Regional Directors can make G-FIVE recommendations to OFCCP’s national headquarters office following full compliance reviews of those contractors and subcontractors that have demonstrated these outstanding achievements; and
3. Nomination.