How to Meet Job Posting Requirements for Federal Contractors
Julia specializes in Equal Employment Opportunity laws, affirmative action, and diversity/inclusion consulting and training.
In October, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a new “Know Your Rights” poster to replace the former “EEO Is the Law” supplemental poster. The new poster is designed to make it easier for employers to understand their legal responsibilities and for workers to understand their legal rights.
This updated poster is especially important because it details the federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act. It also outlines regulations pertaining to federal contractors and subcontractors that are enforced by the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs, including Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act. Now that the new EEOC poster is here, it’s your responsibility to ensure your job postings are compliant.
Posting and Notice Requirements
The EEOC clarified that to meet EEO posting requirements, electronic posting can supplement a physical copy. However, given the evolving nature of hybrid work, the EEOC also recognized that there are certain situations, such as employers without a physical workplace or remote employees who don’t visit the employer’s workplace regularly, when a digital posting might be the only method for posting.
The EEO posting requirements also include the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision, which prohibits federal contractor/subcontractor employers from punishing employees or applicants who ask or share information about their salary or the salary of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to information about other employees’ or applicants’ salaries as part of their job cannot share that information with others who don’t have access to it unless it’s for a formal complaint or accusation or when legally required to during an investigation or legal process.
Accommodation Statement
EEO posting requirements stipulate that job postings must be available in an accessible format to people with disabilities that limit the ability to see or read. This might include large print, braille, or audio recordings. Employers are required to meet reasonable accommodation requirements during the application and interview process. This can include providing sign language interpreters or adjusting the layout of the workplace.
Employers must handle accommodation requests promptly and politely, ensuring proper team training is in place. Organizations should also ensure more than one person can handle requests, document requests and outcomes, and provide accommodations.
If your job postings aren’t clear about the skills and qualifications required, now is the time to make improvements.
JULIA MENDEZ ACHEE
How to Make Job Postings More Inclusive
Here are some tips on how to make job postings more inclusive and welcoming:
Ensure job postings are written for inclusivity.
Sometimes, bias can show up subconsciously, even when creating a job posting. You might have used discriminatory or offensive language that directly harms a specific age, gender, or ethnicity. Recognizing subconscious biases and working to improve them is a great place to start. Ensure your job postings are written with a diverse group of people in mind. You can go further by including images, videos with captioning, or employee testimonials on your website or application page including people of different ethnicities, ages, and abilities. This can encourage diverse candidates to apply, as they see that inclusion is valued in your workplace.
Display your DEI initiatives clearly.
It’s important to display information about your company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on the website. This can include information about DEI policies, training and resources for employees, and information about the company’s DEI goals and progress. Putting the information in an easy-to-access location allows potential employees to see the company’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace and encourages qualified candidates to apply.
Keep job postings accessible and understandable.
If your job postings aren’t clear about the skills and qualifications required, now is the time to make improvements. Start by ensuring all text in job postings and on your website is easy to read. This can include using a clear font, an appropriate font size, and language that’s easy to understand. Additionally, ensure all videos contain captions. Making these small adjustments can ensure you’re meeting reasonable accommodation requirements and making job postings more inclusive.
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