Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs issues new directive promoting effective enforcement to advance equal employment opportunity
The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is committed to remedying employment practices that create barriers to opportunity and perpetuate inequality for workers. As part of this commitment, OFCCP issued a new directive to promote effective enforcement of its equal employment opportunity laws. The new directive, DIR 2022-02, Effective Compliance Evaluations and Enforcement, provides updated guidance on agency compliance evaluation policies and expectations for contractors.
The directive will strengthen OFCCP compliance evaluations and reduce delay by promoting the timely exchange of information. In addition, the directive explains updated agency policies regarding the scheduling of contractors for compliance evaluations, including enhancing the agency’s neutral scheduling procedures to reach a broader universe of federal contractors, and eliminating delays in scheduling. The directive also describes contractors’ obligations regarding timely submission of Affirmative Action Programs (AAPs) and support data, supplemental information, and access to employees, applicants, and other witnesses.
The directive also highlights how the agency is increasing contractor accountability through the Contractor Portal, a platform through which covered contractors are required to register and annually certify that they have developed and maintained AAPs in compliance with OFCCP’s requirements. The directive makes clear that when covered contractors use OFCCP’s Contractor Portal to annually certify compliance with their AAP obligations, contractors are certifying that they have developed and maintained complete AAPs in compliance with OFCCP’s requirements. Contractors can begin certifying their compliance in the Contractor Portal on March 31, 2022.
With this new directive, OFCCP remains committed to working with federal contractors to remove barriers to equal employment opportunity, provide access to good jobs, and foster equitable workplaces.
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