Section 503

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On February 21, 2020, OFCCP launched an online training platform called the Contractor Compliance Institute (“CCI”). In announcing the release of CCI, the agency stated it “created the CCI curriculum specifically for federal contractors, furthering [OFCCP’s] commitment to provide meaningful compliance assistance.” Contractors can create a CCI account and register…

Last month, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) created the Disability and Veterans Community Resources Directory.  The goal of the Directory is to assist contractors in locating community and other resources for recruiting veterans and individuals with disabilities.  The Directory contains a non-exhaustive list of groups and organizations…

OFCCP recently updated its Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) on the implementation of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act final rules.  The most recent FAQs address questions regarding the availability of the “EEO is the Law” poster, the ability to use human resource information systems as the data analysis file for self-identification records, and acceptable language for Equal Opportunity clauses. 

On Friday, March 21, 2014, Federal District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled in favor of the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs’ (“OFCCP”) recent rule implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, denying a challenge by the Associated Builders and Contractors trade organization (“ABC”).  As a result, OFCCP’s Rule—“Affirmative Action and…

OFCCP recently updated its website with additional information for contractors to assist with their compliance with the final rule issued under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.  The information addresses recruiting individuals with disabilities, encouraging self-disclosure of disabilities, and information about assistive technology.  OFCCP also recently updated…

On January 22, 2014, after several months of review, the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) finally approved the voluntary self-identification form required by the Section 503 Final Rule that becomes effective on March 24, 2014.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (“OFCCP”) designed the self-identification form to alleviate contractor concerns that collecting disability data would run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act and to assure employees and applicants that the self-identification requests are routine and consistent with OFCCP reporting obligations.  As a result, under the OFCCP Section 503 Final Rule, federal contractors must provide employees and applicants for employment with unaltered copies of the OMB-approved form.  Forms may be distributed electronically or in hard copy.

On December 17, 2013, the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) published additional Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) on the implementation of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act final rules.

As discussed in prior Government Contractor Compliance &…

Today, the OFCCP’s new regulations interpreting Section 503 and VEVRAA were published in the Federal Register.  The rules can be found here and here.  Publication in the Federal Register sets the effective date for the rules as March 24, 2014.  As previously discussed, contractors should start planning the implementation of the compliance requirements imposed by the new regulations. 

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) today released its final rules implementing the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act regarding individuals with disabilities.  The rules bring about significant changes for the obligations of federal contractors to take affirmative action regarding veterans and individuals with disabilities.