Course Description

The new Federal regulations on Affirmative Action for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities present new and specific requirements for Human Resources professionals in the areas of outreach and documentation. This practical class provides guidance on key topics, a listing of recruitment resources, a compliance checklist to keep on-track, and the insight of highly experienced management consultants. The class not only examines how to comply with the regulations; it also discusses the best strategy to adopt if your company faces an audit by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. The material provided is an essential guide for the HR professionals of Federal contractors as they craft their response to these new requirements.

This class was developed by Lou Rodarte in collaboration with Michael Wade. Lou is the resident expert on Affirmative Action and OFCCP compliance at Sanders Wade Rodarte Consulting Inc.

Management Consultant

Lou Rodarte

Lou Rodarte brings extensive and diverse knowledge of Human Resources issues to client projects; insight accumulated from over 30 years in that field with Qwest Communications (formerly US West) and Verizon Wireless. During his “pre-consultant” career, Lou specialized in most HR disciplines, including EEO, Affirmative Action, Diversity, Staffing, Recruiting, Labor Relations, Safety, and Employee Relations. In his capacity at Qwest Communications he had direct responsibility for agency interaction with the EEOC, multiple state government EEO offices and the NLRB. In his staffing and recruiting positions he was responsible for creating and managing hiring Blitzes for large numbers of hires or difficult to find technical hires across 13 states. Lou also created specialized veteran hiring programs to hire veterans directly off military bases. Given this background, it is not surprising that Lou is noted for his practical yet sensitive approach. He is effective at building trust with – and understanding the concerns of - all levels of the organization. Lou manages our Affirmative Action Plan preparation and compliance as well as related EEO and employee relations issues. Lou also coaches executives, managers, and employees on management issues.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction and Overview

    • A Quick Technical Tip for Taking This Class

    • Regulatory Coverage and What to Expect in This Class
  • 2

    Dealing with the Invisible and the Unknown

    • Bridging the Perception Gap with Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities
  • 3

    Terminology

    • Definitions and Preferences
  • 4

    An Early Word about Dealing with the OFCCP

    • The Best Strategy
  • 5

    What's Different about This Subject?

    • This is Not Your Standard EEO Area
  • 6

    Your Many Roles as an HR Professional

    • Administrator, Consultant, Diplomat, and Cop
  • 7

    Self-Identification Records

    • Key Stages in the Data Collection Process
  • 8

    Outreach

    • Building Your External Network
  • 9

    Outreach Resources

    • Links to Helpful Recruitment Sites
  • 10

    Benchmarks and Utilization Goals

    • Measurement Tools, Not Quotas
  • 11

    Decision-Making

    • Considering Reasonable Accommodation, Essential Functions, and Undue Hardship
  • 12

    Reasonable Accommodation Points

    • Accommodation and Confidentiality
  • 13

    Documentation

    • Summarizing the Key Records
  • 14

    Preventing Discrimination

    • Prevent by Persuading
  • 15

    Training

    • Boost Their Confidence and Their Willingness to Coordinate
  • 16

    Guidance on Employment Interviews

    • Two Situations That Can Easily Arise
  • 17

    Points to Stress

    • Embracing Reality and Avoiding Stereotypes
  • 18

    Compliance Checklist

    • A Quick Guide to Keep Your Compliance Efforts On-Track
  • 19

    Summary

    • What You Need to Do in a Nutshell
  • 20

    Additional Workshops

    • Practical and Convenient Workshops are in the Pipeline