We recently notified you that the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs had issued proposed regulations designed to put significantly more “teeth” into contractors’ obligations to employ protected veterans. The proposed rule, like its predecessor, interprets the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and its amendments, which prohibit discrimination against certain protected veterans and require federal contractors to take affirmative steps to recruit and hire such individuals. Contractors are also required to make reasonable accommodations (using essentially the same standards and terminology in the Americans with Disabilities Act) for disabled veterans.

The proposed regulations, issued April 26, 2011, could not have been better-timed, coming almost immediately before the successful raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Although strenuous opposition is unlikely, the OFCCP is accepting comments on the proposed rule through June 27.

The following is a summary of the key provisions of the proposed regulations...