Three Easy Steps to Comply with OFCCP Veteran Hiring Requirements

Sabrina Baker at Acacia HR Solutions has developed three simple steps to ensure your company complies with OFCCP veteran hiring requirements. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@theintegratedgroup.com

WHEN working with large federal contracts, companies are required to comply with a plethora of regulations and legal requirements. One of the more challenging to comply with is veteran recruitment. Regulated by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), there are specific actions expected when attempting to hire a veteran.

 “Not only do they expect contractors to take these actions, but they expect them to be able to prove that they are doing what they can to ensure veteran candidates are aware of their open roles and are applying and hired when appropriate”

Amid the maze of regulations, tracking requirements and time frames, there are six basic requirements that all employers should understand about veteran hiring requirements. OFCCP’s basic requirements include:

1. Post the Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law Poster (You can find copies of this poster here)
2. Have a targeted veteran outreach program
3. Track those targeted programs
4. Allow candidates who may be in a protected class to self-identify post offer
5. Contractors with 50+ employees and $50,000 in contracts must have a written affirmative action plan
6. All job adverts should include veteran status in their equal opportunity statement

FOCUSING in on targeted veteran outreach programs, Sabrina Baker provides three go-to strategies.

“Job Postings:
There is no shortage of military focused websites these days and many of them include job boards. My personal favorite is Military.com powered by Monster[…] It is a go to resource for veterans and therefore the job board boasts a large amount of visitors each day[…] The great thing about using military focused job boards is that you will always have a record of where you posted through the job board. Some clients also take screenshots of the posting for extra back up.

Veterans Outreach Groups:
In every city across the nation there are groups solely focused on veteran outreach. Think outside the VA here, although they are a great resource. A quick Google search will likely give you a large number of contacts. Reach out to those groups and build relationships. Utilize any opportunity they offer to get in front of the veterans they work with to share your job openings and ways they can get connected with your company. And as with everything you do, track that activity.

Military Worded Job Advertisements:
[…]Using either Military.com’s skills translator or the Occupational Handbook’s Crosswalk section, figure out the military role that corresponds with your open role.[…]Use “military speak” to help veteran candidates understand if their experience transfers or not. Not only is this going to cut down on unqualified applicants, but it will help you understand what they did in the military as well. Combine this one with the fist one and the results are pure gold”

 

COMPLIANCE with federal regulation is an essential business practice. As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure the proper methods are utilized when recruiting future employees, complying with affirmative action requirements when necessary. Following OFCCP’s basic requirements will aid in compliance, but that is simply the minimum. Opening up to a more comprehensive veteran recruitment process allows for a much larger pool of qualified and experienced applicants that could potentially add significant value to your organization. Do not let a lack of a veteran hiring program decrease your potential to find the perfect candidate for the job.