The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has announced three new directives focused on establishing an opinion letter process and enhancing OFCCP’s Help Desk, establishing a means to resolve compliance evaluations as early as possible, and clarifying the Agency’s compliance review procedures.
Opinion Letters and Help Desk Directive: identifies steps OFCCP will take to enhance its existing Help Desk, which includes a self-service option that would allow stakeholders to benefit from previous inquiries and, in the process, improve Help Desk efficiency. Similar to other agencies, OFCCP will also incorporate the use of opinion letters as part of guidance to employers, employees, and the public.
Early Resolution Procedures (ERP) Directive: establishes OFCCP’s new Early Resolution Procedures (ERP) and outlines general guidelines for implementation to resolve supply and service compliance evaluations at the earliest stage possible with corporate-wide compliance.
Compliance Review Procedures Directive: rescinds Directive 2011-01, Active Case Enforcement (ACE) Procedures, and emphasizes that compliance reviews will be governed by OFCCP’s Federal Contract Compliance Manual (FCCM) and other methods to shorten full desk audits and resolve violations more efficiently.
These directives are intended to reflect the OFCCP’s commitment to preventing violations by working with federal contractors to ensure they understand the compliance evaluation process, are given clear answers to their inquiries, and have sufficient tools and resources to comply with regulations.