The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published two final rules Sept. 24, drastically revising Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which require federal contractors and subcontractors to maintain affirmative action and nondiscrimination plans for veterans and individuals with disabilities, respectively. The rules will go into effect March 24, 2014. 

Of most concern to construction contractors are provisions requiring written documentation and tracking of workforce statistics to determine whether the percentage of protected employees meets affirmative action requirements for federal projects. Such paperwork and reporting provisions are completely new to the construction industry. ABC’s guidance document summarizing the main provisions in each rule and can be viewed here.

For more information on the how the revised VEVRAA and Section 503 rules affect federal contractors and subcontractors, view ABC’s archived webinar, "OFCCP Finalizes Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities Rules: What Every Federal Contractor and Subcontractor Needs to Know," on the Academy for Construction Ethics, Compliance and Best Practices.