The Department of Labor
Your Tax Dollars at Work
The Department of Labor (DoL) is required by VEVRAA subsection (b) to investigate and act upon complaints filed by covered veterans. The specific DoL subdivision responsible is called the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Problems with the law itself limit the amount of help that can be provided to veterans. However, the DoL manages to go below and beyond the call of duty by misrepresenting the contents and intentions of VEVRAA. They promulgate their version of the law to employers across the country, harming veterans everywhere.
How the DoL Prevents VEVRAA, and You, From Working
Trust The Process
Complaint Instructions
Complaint Instructions
The VEVRAA complaint system is misleading at best. To begin with, the DoL created an infographic purporting to help veterans determine whether or not the law affects them. But even in the heading, the DoL misinforms the reader--"Protected Veteran" is not a term found in the law, and VEVRAA does not prohibit discrimination. Their site exclusively uses "protected veteran" instead of the correct term, "covered veteran," but they admit that a Department cannot change the law (although even in their admission they misquote the statute).
Complaint Instructions
Complaint Instructions
Complaint Instructions
The law specifies in subsection (b) that covered veterans who suspect employers of violating their contractual obligations regarding affirmative action can file complaints with the Secretary of Labor. This is the only recourse provided by the statute.
Complaint Form
Discrimination Prevention: Not VEVRAA's Job
Discrimination Prevention: Not VEVRAA's Job
For a covered veteran to report a violation of the law, the Department of Labor requires them to submit a form called "Complaint of Employment Discrimination Involving a Federal Contractor or Subcontractor." Unfortunately, the form is designed for claims that have nothing to do with VEVRAA.
Discrimination Prevention: Not VEVRAA's Job
Discrimination Prevention: Not VEVRAA's Job
Discrimination Prevention: Not VEVRAA's Job
Discrimination against veterans in employment is, of course, a serious problem. This is why a law was created in 1994 (better late than never) specifically to address the problem--38 U.S.C. §4311, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). It isn't perfect--the law never uses the terms "veteran" or "military" and the wording could be more clear--but USERRA accomplishes an important task, and VEVRAA doesn't need to do the same thing.
The DoL misleads employers and job seekers into thinking that protecting veterans is the purpose of VEVRAA, which would make it redundant. In fact, VEVRAA exists to provide a benefit--giving veterans a preference in employment. And, to reiterate, the complaint form offers no way to bring up affirmative action, which, to re-reiterate, is THE ONLY THING VEVRAA DOES FOR VETERANS.
By design, the organization legally tasked with receiving complaints prevents covered veterans from filing those complaints.