Executive Summary:  The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has announced that the 2016 Annual Section 4212 (VEVRAA) hiring benchmark for 2016 is 6.9 percent. The benchmark is based on data issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on March 4, 2016 and is effective as of that release date.

Hiring Benchmarks

As discussed in our prior Legal Alert, as part of the OFCCP's revised VEVRAA regulations, federal contractors who are required to file written affirmative action plans must also establish a hiring benchmark for protected veterans. This benchmark will apply to each of the contractor's establishments.  Contractors can use a benchmark equal to the national percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force, as announced and updated annually by the OFCCP.  Alternatively, contractors can establish their own benchmark using the five factors outlined in the revised rules.  Under either approach, a contractor's Veteran AAP must identify the benchmark being utilized and indicate in subsequent years whether the benchmark was met. 

The OFCCP's Benchmark Database provides additional information about the establishment of benchmarks and also provides state and national data that may be needed to establish these benchmarks.