38 U.S.C. § 4212 — Veterans’ employment emphasis under Federal contracts

(a)(1) A United States department or agency^* contract of at least $100,000 for personal property or nonpersonal services, including construction, must require the contractor to take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified covered veterans. The same applies to a subcontract of at least $100,000 under such a contract. (2) Labor Department^* regulations must require each contractor to promptly list employment openings with the appropriate employment-service system. It may also list them with the specified career centers or job bank. It may leave out executive and senior-management jobs, jobs filled from within the organization, and jobs lasting three days or less. The employment-service system must give qualified covered veterans priority in referrals and provide the openings to States, political subdivisions, and private entities or organizations under contract for employment, training, and placement services under chapter 41. (3)(A) “Covered veteran^*” means a disabled veteran^*, a veteran who served during a war or campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized, a veteran who participated in a qualifying military operation for which an Armed Forces^* service medal was awarded, or a recently separated veteran^*. (B) “Qualified” means able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability.

(b) A covered veteran who believes a contractor failed or refused to comply with the contract’s veteran-employment provisions may complain to the Secretary^* of Labor. The Secretary must promptly investigate and take appropriate action under the contract and applicable law and regulations.

(c) The Secretary must include in the annual report the number of these complaints, actions, and resolutions; the number of contractors listing openings; the nature, types, and number of listed jobs; and the number of veterans receiving referral priority.

(d)(1) Each covered contractor must report at least annually, as regulations require, (A) workforce employees by job category and hiring location, including qualified covered veterans; (B) new hires during the reporting period, including qualified covered veterans; and (C) the contractor’s highest and lowest employee counts during the period. (2) The Secretary must coordinate this reporting with other required reports. (3) The Secretary must maintain an Internet site publicly disclosing the reported information.