Why Hire a Veteran?
OFCCP and the Outreach and Recruitment of Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor community has known for a long time that the OFCCP is focusing on (amongst other areas) outreach and recruitment for individuals with disabilities. Related to this, contractors are increasingly being sent “disability accommodation” questionnaires related to their websites and whether they are being developed with consideration for individuals with disabilities. Following are some of the questions contractors are facing:
- Do you have an online application system used as a method for accepting applications for employment?
- Are there non-online application methods?
- Do you provide accommodations for people who cannot use the online system because of a disability?
- Is your application system compatible with adaptive technology?
- Do visually impaired applicants have an audio option?
- Do hearing impaired applicants have a visual option?
- Do applicants without access to a computer have an in-office application option? If so, is the in-office option accessible to applicants with mobility impairments?
- Does your organization have a statement or policy indicating that it will take affirmative action to employ and advance individuals with disabilities?
- Do you periodically evaluate and audit your organization’s personnel processes?
- Have you provided reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities? If no, explain why:
- Have you ensured that its recruitment process is accessible to all individuals?
Of course, the impact of negative findings to any of these questions will be specific to the audit, but one thing is clear, the OFCCP is following through on its commitment to enforce all of its mandates, including Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
If you would like to talk with a BCG consultant regarding how to best prepare your organization for the increased oversight, contact us directly at 1.800.999.0438 x 102 or email us directly at staff@biddle.com.
>>Department of Labor’s Disability Resources
>>Office of Disability Employment Policy
>>DOL’s and ODEP’s What Can You Do? Campaign site
Report Shows Companies Are Hiring
Employers, are you ready for some good news about the economy?
Then read these excerpts from the December, 2010 ADP National Employment Report (italics mine):
This month’s ADP National Employment Report suggests nonfarm private employment grew
very strongly in December, at a pace well above what is usually associated with a declining
unemployment rate. After a mid-year pause, employment seems to have accelerated as indicated
by September’s employment gain of 29,000, October’s gain of 79,000, November’s gain of
92,000 and December’s gain of 297,000. Strength was also evident within all major industries
and every size business tracked in the ADP Report.According to the ADP Report, employment in the service-providing sector rose by 270,000 in
December, the eleventh consecutive monthly gain and the largest monthly increase in the history
of the report. Employment in the goods-producing sector rose 27,000, the second consecutive
monthly gain and the largest since February 2006. Manufacturing employment rose 23,000, also
the second consecutive monthly gain.>>Download the whole report:
http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/pdf/FINAL_Report_December_10.pdf
Now take a look at this, too. Look at this beautiful graph ADP created:
Do you see how the bar graphs increase with each month? That means more jobs – companies are hiring. We’ll know more, of course, as time goes on, but it sure seems that employment will continue to rise in 2011.
What about you and your company? What are your hiring plans for 2011? Are you ready?
>>Resources:
Hiring Soon? Prepare Now So You Can “Handel” the Crowd
Two nights ago, the Sacramento Choral Society planned a flash mob event where they would be singing portions of Handel’s Messiah in the Roseville Galleria food court. However, since record crowds came out to see their performance, the fire department closed down the mall minutes before they were scheduled to sing. And when I say record crowds, think “Disneyland at Christmas on steroids”. I know this is true because I was crazy enough to be there.
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Abilty Testing Pays Off Big …
Many years ago I attended a class on negotiating. The speaker said that the ability to negotiate was so very important because a person could make (or save) more money in a short period of time than any other way. The example he gave was this: imagine you are buying a car and in fifteen minutes you convince the salesperson to cut the cost by $5,000. Saving five “grand” in fifteen minutes is equivalent to making $20,000 per hour. Not a bad wage …
Business owners and human resource professionals are in a similar situation when they make a hiring decision. The implications of this decision will either pay off big for the organization, or cost it dearly. So what is a person to do?
The answer is to make certain an applicant has the skills & abilities necessary for success PRIOR to hiring them. While this may sound difficult, advancements in skill testing software have actually made it simple and safe to determine whether or not a person has what it takes to succeed in your employment environment.
In certain mission-critical environments, there is more to lose than money. Consider hiring emergency services dispatchers and call takers who must operate in the most difficult, life-or-death circumstances. Hiring people who do not have the ability to multi-task in a stressful situation puts lives at risk.
Organizations who employ skill testing software are able to determine whether or not their applicants possess key skills and abilities. In this way, they are able to spend valuable time interviewing only deserving candidates and can focus their efforts testing soft skills such as motivation, synergy and attitude.
These software programs are not only reasonably priced, but they will actually pay for themselves over and over again in saved time, increased morale and productivity, and saved opportunities. Or, you could just roll the dice and see what you end up with …
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