The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is proposing a new rule to strengthen affirmative action requirements of federal contractors and subcontractors for veterans protected under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974.

Veterans protected under the act include those with disabilities and those recently discharged as well as those who served during a war.

The proposed rule clarifies mandatory job listing requirements, under which a contractor must provide job vacancy and contact information for each of its locations to an appropriate employment service delivery system. The rule proposes requiring contractors to engage in at least three specified types of outreach and recruitment efforts each year. In addition, the proposed rule would require that all applicants be invited to self-identify as a “protected veteran” before they are offered a job. Increasing data collection on job referrals, applicants and hires, and requiring contractors to establish hiring benchmarks to assist in measuring the effectiveness of their affirmative action efforts also are proposed.

For the complete text of the proposed rule and to comment, click here.