The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) recently released three new directives:

• Improved Compliance Evaluations - Outlines steps OFCCP is taking to expeditiously resolve compliance evaluations and quickly remediate violations. 
• Pre-Referral Mediation Program - Establishes a mediation program that will help resolve matters before spending significant time and resources in the enforcement process. This program will be offered to federal contractors and subcontractors to resolve findings of discrimination, before referral to the Office of the Solicitor for enforcement.
• Ombuds Service Supplement and Protocol - Outlines the Ombuds Service Protocol, which explains the principles of the OFCCP's Ombuds Service.

Additionally, OFCCP just updated the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”) hiring benchmark.  Federal contractors and subcontractors required by VEVRAA to develop a written affirmative action program must also establish a hiring benchmark for protected veterans each year or adopt the national benchmark provided by the OFCCP. Effective March 31, 2020, the new benchmark is 5.7%, a reduction from last year's benchmark of 5.9%.