On Friday, March 8, OFCCP announced its Section 503 Focused Review Landing Page. The landing page includes information on the Section 503 regulations, the focused review directive, and resources on reasonable accommodations as well as best practices.

Also on that page, OFCCP published long-awaited FAQs on the agency’s Section 503 focused reviews. Three of the most interesting FAQs are:

4. The Section 503 focused review scheduling letter requests our Executive Order 11246 AAP as well. Will OFCCP review the Executive Order (EO) AAP during a 503 focused review?

No. OFCCP will not conduct a review of the Executive Order Affirmative Action Program (AAP) during a Section 503 focused review. While OFCCP will request the EO AAP as part of the Section 503 focused review, the EO AAP will only be used to help the OFCCP compliance officer get a clearer picture of the contractor’s organizational structure, confirm Section 503 job groups, and understand generally how the Section 503 compliance strategies fit with the contractor’s other affirmative efforts. OFCCP will not analyze data contained in the EO AAP to look for discrimination based on sex or race and ethnicity. If elements of the EO AAP document are missing or insufficient on their face, OFCCP will note those issues and take appropriate actions, beginning with technical assistance, to bring the contractor into compliance. For example, if the EO AAP job group analysis does not include a list of the job titles that comprise each job group, OFCCP will provide technical assistance and require the contractor to submit the missing information, which will then be noted in the closure notice.

9. Will OFCCP analyze personnel activity data during a Section 503 focused review?

OFCCP will not require the submission of personnel activity data other than the data described in 60‐741.44(k) at the onset of a Section 503 focused review. However, during the course of the review, OFCCP may request and review this information. OFCCP may request compensation and promotion data for individuals who identified as having a disability, are known to have a disability, and/or employees who requested a reasonable accommodation. Additionally, based on a review of data in response to 60‐741.44(k), OFCCP may request additional applicant flow data for job groups that had applicants with disabilities.

10. Will focused reviews take place at all contractor facilities?

The first round of Section 503 focused reviews will take place at contractors’ corporate headquarters locations. OFCCP will evaluate whether it wishes to schedule other establishments for focused reviews in the future.

Wrap Up

Now that OFCCP has provided its compliance assistance materials on Section 503 focused reviews, FortneyScott understands that the CSALs will be posted imminently.

If you have any questions, please contact your FortneyScott attorney.