Audit of Office of Federal Contract
Compliance Programs Enforcement of Veterans' Employment Rights
Audit Period: July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2001
Report No. 05-02-004-04-410
Date Issued: March 29, 2002
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Office of Inspector General conducted an audit of the Office of
Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and its enforcement of the Vietnam
Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (VEVRAA). This
audit was initiated because of a congressional inquiry. Our objective was to
determine whether OFCCP was fulfilling its enforcement responsibilities
regarding veterans' complaints. We also reviewed case files to ensure that
OFCCP checked employers' compliance with VEVRAA.
During the audit, we reviewed 85 complaint investigations and 34
compliance evaluation cases. We also mailed 77 surveys to complainants and
evaluated 36 survey responses. Based on the data reviewed, we concluded that
OFCCP has done an adequate job, overall, investigating veterans' complaints and
evaluating compliance activities of employers that have contracts with the
Federal Government.
Our audit also identified the following areas in OFCCP's VEVRAA
enforcement program that can be improved:
- Timeliness of Investigations and Feedback to Complainants
We found that it took OFCCP an average of 316 days to provide
complainants with the results of their complaints. We also found that OFCCP did
not always contact complainants to discuss its findings prior to the conclusion
of its investigation, in accordance with its Customer Service Plan.
- Outreach to the Veterans Community
Our analysis of the complaints and the information provided in
response to our survey indicates that veterans do not have a clear
understanding of what is covered under VEVRAA. As a result, veterans often file
complaints seeking redress for activities not covered by VEVRAA and are
dissatisfied when OFCCP does not rule in their favor.
We were informed that there were several variables that hindered
timely completion of the complaint investigations, including resources,
workloads, establishing jurisdiction and scheduling appropriate interviews. We
were also informed that OFCCP discusses its findings with complainants but the
contacts are not always documented. In addition, we found that VEVRAA
requirements were not clearly understood by many veterans.
Recommendations
To improve customer satisfaction within the veterans community, we
recommend that the Assistant Secretary for the Employment Standards
Administration ensure that OFCCP:
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