On March 27, 2019 the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) released its 2019 Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”) Benchmark. Effective March 31, 2019 the new benchmark is 5.9%, a slight decrease from 2018’s 6.4% benchmark. This is OFCCP’s fifth reduction of the benchmark, which has steadily declined since its inception in 2014.
The VEVRAA Benchmark is the figure which federal contractors must use to assess the effectiveness of their outreach programs for the hiring of veterans. Contractors may either use OFCCP’s national benchmark, or establish their own benchmark using applicable statistics and other metrics set forth in OFCCP’s regulations (41 CFR § 60-300.45(b)(2)).
In announcing the revised benchmark, OFCCP also noted that it “plans to incorporate VEVRAA Focused Reviews into the Corporate Scheduling Announcement List” next fiscal year. As we previously reported, focused reviews are compliance evaluations focusing on one element of OFCCP’s jurisdiction. This year OFCCP introduced Section 503 Focused Reviews, which focus on the OFCCP’s requirements with respect to individuals with disabilities. Contractors should review their processes for compliance with VEVRAA and OFCCP’s VEVRAA-related regulations to ensure they are prepared.