by Patricia Schaeffer, Vice President-Regulatory Affairs
OFCCP announced two new initiatives on July 24, 2008 regarding hiring veterans and online applicant selection systems.
1. Good-Faith Initiative for Veterans Employment (G-FIVE): This initiative recognizes companies’ best practices for the employment and advancement of veterans. Contractors receiving a G-FIVE rating will be excluded from an OFCCP compliance evaluation for three years absent disqualifying factors outlined in the directive. OFCCP lists nine factors to be considered when evaluating contractors and subcontractors for G-FIVE recognition.
2. Federal Contractor’s Online Application Selection System: This directive requires contractors and subcontractors to make electronic job application systems accessible to, and usable by, applicants with disabilities, or the contractor must provide a reasonable accommodation that allows an equal opportunity to compete for a job. The directive provides that “effective immediately, all compliance evaluations should include a review of the contractor’s online application systems to ensure that the contractor is providing equal opportunity to qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.” According to the directive, OFCCP will retain any discrimination complaint filed involving the contractor’s online application system and investigate the claim, rather than referring it to the EEOC.
