Compliance Alert

New Outreach Sources for
Veterans and People with Disabilities

Many clients ask for ways to conduct outreach in recruiting for veterans and the disabled. We can now report several new sources that have come about due to new initiatives at the Department of Labor (DOL) and the impending shut-down of America's Job Bank on June 30.

America's Job Bank, a free service started back in 1995, currently lists more than 2.2 million jobs. Last year, the DOL announced plans to shut down the America's Job Bank website due to the cost of maintaining the site and the fact that it duplicates services that are already available in the private sector. The problem is that much of what is available in the private sector comes at a cost to employers recruiting for positions. The advantage of America's Job Bank is that it is currently free and satisfies the mandatory job listing requirement of the DOL's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). With limited exceptions, all job openings must be listed at the local employment service office of the state employment security agency. Posting jobs on America's Job Bank website has been an easy way to fulfill this requirement.

Two companies, NaviSite and DirectEmployers Association have both announced they will provide services designed to replace America's Job Bank. Navisite, a for-profit company, has developed and maintained America's Job Bank under a contract with the State of New York and the DOL. They stated that they will provide a new web site, AmericasJobExchange.com, that will provide all of the services currently available on America's Job Bank. However, they have only committed to providing this service free of charge for the first year. DirectEmployers Association has announced the launch of their JobCentral web site, which will distribute job postings to veterans job sites. This very limited distribution will be free to employers. For a fee of $25 per month, employers can have jobs posted to a wider audience of more than 1,000 other diverse Internet sites. This service is available to DirectEmployers Association members free of charge, however a membership costs $12,500 per year.

Furthermore, the DOL has just announced a new database of approximately 2,000 job candidates with disabilities seeking work in a wide variety of fields. The database is free and available to employers nationwide. Private sector employers can request unlimited searches of this database by calling (866) 327-6669. The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities, co-sponsored by the DOL's Office of Disability Employment Policy and the U.S. Department of Defense, compiled the database by sending recruiters to more than 250 college campuses to interview eligible undergraduate and post-graduate students. Many of the students are seeking summer internship opportunities, while others have graduated and are looking for full-time employment. You can set the search criteria by specifying location, degree program, position type, etc. Remember to record and keep your search request criteria to meet the record keeping requirements of the new Internet applicant regulations. This is a great new program for finding qualified individuals with disabilities to fill your positions.

If you have any questions, or need further information on any of the topics covered in this Compliance Alert, please feel free to contact us.