The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) portal for Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) certification opened on April 1, 2024, and will remain open only until July 1, 2024. The OFCCP, a division of the Department of Labor (DOL), is responsible for ensuring compliance with Executive Order 11246 on the part of federal contractors. This annual data collection, analysis, and written plan are mandatory for eligible federal contractors.
It is imperative for eligible federal contractors to certify their AAPs through this portal to maintain compliance with OFCCP regulations. Failure to comply with the AAP certification process may increase the likelihood of an OFCCP audit.
OFCCP regulations require that the following organizations must complete and certify an AAP:
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Employers with 50 or more employees and $50,000 or more in a single government contract or subcontract
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Qualifying financial institutions
These regulations further require that even if the employer does not meet the requirements for an affirmative action plan, they are required to implement non-discrimination policies and practices if they have $10,000 in federal contracts, regardless of how many employees they have. Please note that there are additional reporting requirements for employers with construction-related contracts, which can be found in this Employers Council whitepaper. You can find more information about the certification process and access to the OFCCP portal at the OFCCP Contractor Portal.
Employers Council has resources to assist you with affirmative action planning and compliance, including this whitepaper and our AAP services. For further guidance, please contact us at info@employerscouncil.org.
Leslie Sullivan is an affirmative action plan/pay equity specialist for Employers Council.