Recently, the OFCCP updated the annual national percentage of veterans on their website from 8% to 7.2%. The initial final regulatory text indicated a hiring benchmark of 8%; however, the new 7.2% veteran hiring benchmark should be used for affirmative action plans developed after the implementation of the new regulations for 2014. As a reminder, this benchmark will be updated for contractors on an annual basis. The OFCCP website should be checked to determine the most recent hiring benchmark posted by the OFCCP each year. There are two options for establishing a hiring benchmark:
1.) Adopt the National Percentage of Veterans in the Civilian Labor Force (currently 7.2%)
2.) Developing Individualized Hiring Benchmarks using a 5 factor model
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- The average percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force for the State where the establishment is located, for the previous three years.
- The number of veterans who participated in the employment service delivery system in the State where the establishment is located, over the previous four quarters.
- The applicant ratio and hiring ratio for the establishment for the previous year.
- The most recent assessment of the effectiveness of your outreach and recruitment efforts.
- Any other factor, such as the nature of the job openings or the facility’s location that would tend to affect the availability of qualified protected veterans.
By Joanna Colosimo, M.A., Senior Consultant, DCI Consulting Group
