Uncle Sam Wants You ... to Hire More Vets, Women, and Minorities

At one point or another, many of you have probably been involved in an interview process that seemed painfully slow.  Friends of mine that don't work in HR are always surprised to hear how much documentation is required with the hiring process. After reading this article you should have a better idea of why the hiring process can sometimes take so long - especially if you're interviewing with a company that receives federal funds.

Today I am writing about something that is very near and dear to my heart, as I work as a Recruiter for a company that is a federal contractor. Any company that does business with the federal government is a federal contractor. Since federal contractors receive funds from the government, they must comply with OFCCP regulations. (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs)

The OFCCP enforces Executive Order 11246, as amended, which prohibits federal contractors and federally-assisted construction contractors and subcontractors, who do over $10,000 in Government business in one year from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Executive Order also requires Government contractors to take affirmative action to insure that equal opportunity is provided in all aspects of their employment.

A lot of my job responsibility is ensuring that our hiring decisions are made legally and that we're in compliance with all laws and regulations we must follow. You would probably be surprised to hear some of the companies that are federal contractors, such as St. Jude, AT&T, Frito Lay and Dell.

This article in Business Week gives some great information on what federal contractors must comply with when making hiring decisions. Since the Obama administration has been in office, the OFCCP has really cracked down on auditing federal contractors. There is a lot more that goes into hiring an employee than just conducting a background check. Federal contractors must be proactive in recruiting women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities, which are all important and worthy causes, but can cause the hiring process to slow down. OFCCP regulations are always changing, especially when there is a change in office. It will be very interesting to see what new regulations and initiatives come out with the upcoming election in November.