The OFCCP issued its latest directive, Directive 2019-04, on February 13, 2019, outlining its new Voluntary Enterprise-wide Review Program (VERP). The new program is designed to facilitate and confirm “enterprise-wide (corporate-wide) compliance by high-performing contractors and those aspiring to reach the top through individualized, corporate-wide compliance assistance.”

Contractors selected to participate in the VERP will be removed from the pool of contractors scheduled for compliance evaluations. There will be two-tiers of contractors: the top tier will include top-performing contractors with corporate-wide Diversity and Inclusion programs; the second tier will be contractors who are OFCCP compliant but need individualized compliance assistance to become top performers.  Criteria for the top tier will be more stringent.

To participate in the program, contractors must demonstrate that they meet established criteria that verify not only basic compliance with OFCCP’s requirements, but a demonstrated commitment to and application of successful equal employment opportunity programs on a corporate‐wide basis. A “top-tier” contractor can remain in the program for a period of five years while those at the second level can remain in the program for three years and receive individualized compliance assistance to become a top performer.  Any contractor selected must agree during that period to provide periodic reports and information to OFCCP through which OFCCP can confirm the contractor maintains a workforce free of discrimination or other material violations and also agree that OFCCP retains the right to conduct individual and/or third party complaint investigations to assure “the contractor abides by all terms of the agreement.”  It is not yet clear how OFCCP will make the distinction between “top-tier” and “second level” contractors.

Beginning in FY 2020, applicants will apply electronically online. They will then be subject to the OFCCP corporate headquarters compliance review and compliance reviews of other establishments. Contractors who do not qualify for the program will be returned to the pool of contractors for audit.

OFCCP states that this directive enables the agency to “blend its compliance evaluation and compliance assistance activities to work with high-performing contractors toward a mutual goal of sustained, enterprise-wide (corporate-wide) compliance, outside OFCCP’s neutral establishment-based scheduling process” as well as complementing the goals in its Early Resolutions Procedures.