A VEVRAA hiring benchmark is a numerical target set by federal contractors and subcontractors to measure their success in hiring protected veterans under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). The benchmark is established based on the national percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force, which is provided annually by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Contractors have the option to use either the national percentage, or their own customized benchmark based on factors specific to their workforce and labor market.
How VEVRAA Hiring Benchmarks Work
- Purpose: The benchmark serves as a tool for contractors to assess their outreach and recruitment efforts aimed at hiring protected veterans. It provides a standard against which their progress in attracting and employing veterans can be measured.
- Calculation: The national percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force is determined annually by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and published by OFCCP. Contractors compare their percentage of veteran employees to the benchmark to gauge their compliance with VEVRAA requirements.
- Flexibility: Contractors can choose to use either the national benchmark or establish their own benchmark based on factors such as the industry sector, location, and other relevant workforce characteristics. This allows for customization to better reflect the contractor’s hiring goals and the availability of qualified veterans in their specific labor market.
- Reporting: Contractors must annually assess their hiring efforts for protected veterans against the benchmark and document their analysis and actions taken to meet or exceed the benchmark. This information is reported to OFCCP as part of their compliance evaluations.
- Compliance & Enforcement: OFCCP evaluates contractors’ compliance with VEVRAA, including their efforts to meet the hiring benchmark, through audits and reviews of affirmative action programs (AAPs) and employment practices related to veterans.
Overall, the VEVRAA hiring benchmark is a critical component of ensuring that federal contractors actively engage in efforts to recruit and hire protected veterans, promoting equal employment opportunities and compliance with federal regulations aimed at advancing veterans’ employment rights.
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