In preparation for the 2019 launch of its veteran hiring initiative, the Department of Labor announced a list of award recipients for its pilot “HIRE VETS Medallion Program Demonstration Award” on Wednesday, December 19.

President Trump signed the HIRE (Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans) Vets Act on May 5, 2017. HIRE required the DOL to establish rules for an award program that recognizes employers who make extra efforts to recruit, hire, and retain veterans.  In October, DOL released additional information on the Medallion Awards Program, which recognizes those employers who demonstrate dedication to hiring and retaining qualified veterans during the previous calendar year and offer certain veteran-specific employee programs. The HIRE Act establishes two tiers of recognition: Gold and Platinum, with varying requirements depending upon employer size.

DOL anticipates that the benefits to employers will include reputational recognition and the ability for employers to market themselves as a “veteran friendly employer and be able to attract more veterans for job openings.” Employers who have been cited for or who have admitted to violating their obligations under USERRA or VEVRAA during the previous 12 month are ineligible.

Category Employees Entry Fee
Small Employers <50 $90
Medium Employer 50-499 $190
Large Employer 500+ $495

 

Participation in the HIRE Vets Medallion Program is voluntary and open to employers of all sizes. Interested employers must submit applications with the applicable entry fee between January 31 and April 30, 2019. The initial 2019 VETS Medallion Awards recipients will be announced to coincide with Veterans’ Day.

As we’ve reported in the past few months, OFCCP has also announced its intention to recognize government contractors with outstanding comprehensive outreach programs and innovative targeted outreach to individuals with disabilities.

Tags: HIRE Act, HIRE VETS Medallion Program, HIRE VETS Medallion Program Demonstration Award, OFCCP, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
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Photo of Laura A. Mitchell Laura A. Mitchell

Laura Mitchell is a principal in the Denver office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and leads the firm’s Workplace Analytics and Preventive Strategies Pay Equity subgroup. She partners with employers to evaluate, develop and implement policies and practices that ensure workplace fairness while mitigating…

Laura Mitchell is a principal in the Denver office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and leads the firm’s Workplace Analytics and Preventive Strategies Pay Equity subgroup. She partners with employers to evaluate, develop and implement policies and practices that ensure workplace fairness while mitigating legal risk. Laura is a guiding force in the firm’s most specialized and technical practice areas where she leverages an analytics-focused approach to partner with her clients in building legally compliant programs around which they can anchor their workplaces achieving productivity and stability.

Laura understands that creating a competitive advantage for employers in today’s workplace involves using a data-driven approach to counsel companies on the development of proactive and equitable non-discriminatory practices in hiring, promotions, separations and pay—and where advancements in technology can create both opportunities for efficiencies and risk that can be measured. Committed to putting her clients’ organizational goals first and foremost while balancing legal risk, Laura views herself as an extension of her clients’ team, responsible for providing proactive guidance and engaging in transparent, ongoing communication. Staying the course with employers across their organizational journey while balancing legal compliance obligations throughout their employees’ lifecycle ensures Laura’s position as a go-to resource.

Laura works with companies across all industries—both new and well-established multi-national organizations of all sizes—to realize the combined vision of legal compliance, increased productivity and economic growth enhanced by a focus on pay equity.  As part of the pay equity journey, she advises employers on the evolving pay transparency landscape, working to align compliant practices with the practical realities of the business world.

Laura partners closely with government contractors to understand, implement and demonstrate compliance with their EEO regulatory and compliance obligations. She also works closely with non-government contractor clients to conduct risk assessments of their programs, policies, and training to align with federal and state anti-discrimination requirements.

Laura is the editor and a principal contributor of the GovCon Employment Exchange blog and presents on pay equity and government contractor obligations. To round out her days, Laura enjoys spending time with her family and friends attending sports events, working out, riding her bike, playing pickleball and taking in Colorado’s incomparable sunsets.

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