GAO reviewed the Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) new rule on affirmative action and nondiscrimination obligations of contractors and subcontractors regarding special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam Era, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, and armed forces service medal veterans. GAO found that (1) the final rule revises the current implementing regulations of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002, (VEVRAA). OFCCP is responsible for enforcement of VEVRAA, which prohibits employment discrimination against protected veterans by covered federal contractors and subcontractors. VEVRAA also requires each covered federal contractor and subcontractor to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment these veterans. The final rule strengthens several provisions that are intended to aid in recruitment and hiring efforts, such as clarifying the mandatory job listing requirements, requiring data collection pertaining to protected veteran applicants and hires, and establishing hiring benchmarks to assist in measuring the effectiveness of their affirmative action efforts; (2) OFCCP complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.
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