By Fred Satterwhite, Principal Consultant, DCI Consulting Group
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that the online filing system for VETS-100 and VETS-100A Federal contract reporting will be unavailable until October 1, 2011, due to technical problems. While the electronic filing system is offline, Federal contractors will not be able to register or file VETS-100 or VETS-100A submissions for the 2011 cycle, which typically ends on September 30 each year. DOL had previously planned to begin accepting 2011 submissions on August 1, 2011.
According to the announcement, DOL will not initiate enforcement actions against contractors who submit the VETS-100/VETS-100A from October 1, 2011 through November 30, 2011. Unless further updates are provided in the meantime, DOL may initiate enforcement actions against contractors who do not submit reports by November 30, 2011.
The announcement states that:
Because the VETS 100 system is not currently available, it is not possible to register or file at all for the 2011 cycle. You will only be able to complete your registration and file once the application is available in October.
If you have been directed to file immediately by a Federal Contracting Officer so that funds to a contract may be obligated to a contract, you may file for the 2010 cycle via the instructions below. Please note, this does not constitute a registration or filing for the 2011 cycle. Registering and Filing for the 2011 cycle is unavailable at this time…
Soft or hard copies of previously submitted reports are not available at this time. The ability to make edits or amendments to submitted reports is not available.
Ironically, this announcement comes just after a bill called the Veterans Employment Promotion Act (H.R. 2243), which would require the Secretary of Labor to establish a web site making information about the number of veterans employed by Federal contractors easily available to the public, passed the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs July 28. The bill is now before the full House Committee on Veterans' Affairs for consideration.
