The Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act

The Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act, more fully known as the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), establishes an affirmative action program to be followed by government contractors. VEVRAA's provisions regulate the actions of these contractors when they employ certain types of veterans.

Legislation Impacting VEVRAA

Three additional pieces of legislation have broadened the number of veterans covered by VEVRAA and have raised the monetary limits affecting contractor participation. These laws include the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA), the Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 (VBHCIA) and the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002 (JVA).

Contractors Affected by VEVRAA

VEVRAA's provisions, as amended by the JVA, must be followed by any contractor or subcontractor who works under a federal contract issued after December 1, 2003, in the amount of $100,000 or more. VEVRAA requires these contractors to take specific affirmative steps when hiring, employing, paying and promoting the specified veterans.

Veterans Covered by VEVRAA

Despite its official name, VEVRAA applies to more than Vietnam era veterans. VEVRAA's coverage extends to disabled veterans, to veterans recently separated from active duty, to wartime veterans--including veterans of recognized military campaigns--and to Armed Forces service medal veterans.

VEVRAA's Affirmative Action Provisions

VEVRAA requires contractors to list job openings with appropriate state employment services. Those employment services must give veterans priority in referring them to these positions. VEVRAA does not, however, guarantee veterans that they will be hired.

VEVRAA's mandatory listing requirement excludes only three types of positions from those that must be publicized in this manner. Executive and top-level managerial jobs, jobs that a contractor fills internally and jobs lasting less than 3 days do not have to be listed.

VEVRAA also orders that federal contractors who employ a minimum of 50 persons and hold contracts for at least $50,000 maintain their affirmative action plans (AAP) in written form. The contractors must also prove that they have followed their plans, have not engaged in discriminatory acts and have actively sought veterans for these positions. Contractors must show they have followed their AAPs by filing a document known as the VETS-100 report each year.

Employee Rights Under VEVRAA

VEVRAA gives employees of federal contractors and applicants for jobs within their companies the right to file a complaint with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) if they believe they have been discriminated against. Individuals may also file a complaint if they have evidence that a federal contractor has not complied with other VEVRAA provisions.

Enforcement Provisions of VEVRRA

To ensure that contractors comply with its provisions, VEVRAA charges two government agencies within the Department of Labor with enforcing its mandates. The Employment Standards Administration's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) sees that contractors adhere to VEVRAA's job listing requirements. The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers VEVRAA's reporting provisions.

References

• Employment Discrimination and Equal Opportunity for Certain Veterans Who Served on Active Duty and Special Disabled Veterans
• OASVET Fact Sheet 97-5
• The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA)

Resources

• The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA)