Staying in Compliance When Recruiting Government Contractors

Like any industry these days, the pressure to find qualified workers is high. But when the employee will be a government contractor, the recruiting process becomes even harder. Part of the problem is that the pace of federal hiring is much slower than the rest of the business world. This creates problems for recruiters who are more likely to lose the employee to a competitor in today’s candidate-driven, low-unemployment market.

Beyond today’s hiring challenges, applicant tracking is problematic; there are myriad local, state, and federal requirements, including OFCCP applicant tracking, that are easy to miss. Without the right government recruiting software, companies are at risk for non-compliance, which could cost you thousands in government penalties.

If you’ve engaged in recruiting in the past you probably understand the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) standards for hiring and tracking your activities. But as a government contractor, you must now also be in compliance with the Ofice of Federal Contract and Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

OFCCP applicant tracking has federal requirements that differ from the EEOC standards. Some of the OFCCP applicant tracking rules include:

• The resumes of job seekers who were considered but not hired must be stored.
• Copies of the job listing or other records on the position must be retained.
• The search criteria for job listings must be recorded, along with the date of the search.

Fulfilling OFCCP applicant tracking rules manually would be a nightmare. Fortunately, government recruiting software can help you stay in compliance.

• Standardizing recruitment processes so that they are transparent, fair, and equitable. Applicant tracking systems document that every candidate is handled in the same way with the same application process. This documentation and standardization can help you avoid the risks of non-compliance.
• Standardizing and documenting the job posting descriptions to make them clear and professional. It’s a good practice to include an EEOC tagline in each ad. Government recruiting software can track ads and applicants in one place so that, if audited, documentation is easy to find.
• Keeping records of every candidate interaction from the initial application to the offer letter and orientation. OFCCP applicant tracking rules require that you can prove you handled each candidate consistently and were not engaged in any discriminatory practices against any demographic group. ATS platforms document all of these processes to protect your organization from non-compliance.

If your organization is moving into the world of government contracting or if you have an older ATS, it’s probably time to consider one of the next generation government recruiting software platforms. The benefits of these platforms are myriad and compliance with OFCCP rules is just the icing on the cake.

• Standardized methodologies for attracting candidates. This includes mobile-responsive postings populated across dozens of job boards and a customizable careers page that serves as the first point of contact for the candidate experience.
• An easy and consistent application process that links to Google Translate to eliminate language barriers.
• A database of talent with a personalized individual profile page for each applicant. All documents and notes on applicant contacts are housed in our secure, compliant cloud database that is accessible to recruiters on any digital device.
• Easy and consistent applicant screening tools with the ability to create custom prescreening questions and standardized candidate evaluation metrics.
• Real-time updates and documentation of each candidate contact stored in one place. Easy applicant disposition tools, like our five-star rating system, help capture feedback as it happens.
• Customizable workflows with automation to help you respond consistently to every applicant. Advanced search capabilities help you find the right candidate for the right job based on their skills.
• Integration with email tools and a calendar sync that automates interview appointment setting.
• Automated background screening, skills testing, and reference checks to create a more methodical and documented approach to these processes.
• Online standardized offer letters and templates can create more consistency in the documents you share with candidates.

While these are just a few of the standard TAM features, we designed our platform for full OFCCP compliance. These features include:

• One-click feedback allowing recruiters and hiring managers to document applicant flow logs.
• Confidential and compliant candidate data collection and storage for EEO, Disability, Gender, Veterans, and more).
• Easy creation and analysis of Affirmative Action Plans.
• Full compliance with the Internet Applicant Final Ruling by differentiating candidates by applicant/non-applicant designations.
• Full reporting of source analytics, workflow analysis, and other recruiting metrics.

TAM is a next-level ATS platform designed for governing contracting. The tool is fully customizable and offers extensive automation to help your recruiters and hiring teams work more efficiently while remaining in compliance with all state and federal compliance rules.

If your organization is entering the federal contracting field, or if your ATS doesn’t have these features, perhaps it’s time for a demo of the TAM product. Contact us to find out how we can keep you legal and streamline your recruiting efforts.

TAM can make the hiring process a breeze, especially for federal contractors. Don’t be stuck with antiquated recruiting software.