OFCCP Update: 7.0% Veterans Hiring Benchmark Announced

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) today announced an updated veterans hiring benchmark of 7 percent. The revised hiring benchmark - down from the 7.2% benchmark that the OFCCP announced last year - reflects the most current Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The OFCCP also updated the data for federal contractors that choose to calculate an individualized hiring benchmark (versus adopting the OFCCP’s National Annual Benchmark).

On March 24, 2014, the OFCCP’s final regulations that implement Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) went into effect. As described here, the veterans regulations require federal contractors who meet the requirements for developing an affirmative action program (AAP) establish a hiring benchmark for protected veterans each year. This can be done in one of two ways:

1. Adopt the National Percentage of Veterans in the Civilian Labor Force - now 7 percent.
    
2. Develop Individualized Hiring Benchmarks using the OFCCP’s five-factor method.

The Annual National Benchmark, as well as data to be used by those calculating their own benchmark using the five-factor analysis, is updated annually, and can be found at http://www.dol-esa.gov/errd/VEVRAA.jsp.