§ 60-250.42 - Invitation to self-identify.

(a) Special disabled veterans. The contractor shall invite applicants to inform the contractor whether the applicant believes that he or she is a special disabled veteran who may be covered by the Act and wishes to benefit under the affirmative action program. Such invitation shall be extended after making an offer of employment to a job applicant and before the applicant begins his or her employment duties, except that the contractor may invite special disabled veterans to self-identify prior to making a job offer when:

(1) The invitation is made when the contractor actually is undertaking affirmative action for special disabled veterans at the pre-offer stage; or

(2) The invitation is made pursuant to a Federal, State or local law requiring affirmative action for special disabled veterans.

(b) Veterans of the Vietnam era, recently separated veterans and other protected veterans. The contractor shall invite applicants to inform the contractor whether the applicant believes that he or she is a veteran of the Vietnam era, recently separated veteran or other protected veteran who may be covered by the Act and wishes to benefit under the affirmative action program. Such invitation may be made at any time before the applicant begins his or her employment duties.

(c) The invitations referenced in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall state that a request to benefit under the affirmative action program may be made immediately and/or at any time in the future. The invitations also shall summarize the relevant portions of the Act and the contractor's affirmative action program. Furthermore, the invitations shall state that the information is being requested on a voluntary basis, that it will be kept confidential, that refusal to provide it will not subject the applicant to any adverse treatment, and that it will not be used in a manner inconsistent with the Act. (An acceptable form for such an invitation is set forth in Appendix B of this part. Because a contractor usually may not seek advice from a special disabled veteran regarding placement and accommodation until after a job offer has been extended, the invitation set forth in Appendix B of this part contains instructions regarding modifications to be made if it is used at the pre-offer stage.)

(d) If an applicant so identifies himself or herself as a special disabled veteran, the contractor should also seek the advice of the applicant regarding proper placement and appropriate accommodation, after a job offer has been extended. The contractor also may make such inquiries to the extent they are consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42 U.S.C. 12101, (e.g., in the context of asking applicants to describe or demonstrate how they would perform the job). The contractor shall maintain a separate file in accordance with §60-250.23(d) on persons who have self-identified as special disabled veterans.

(e) The contractor shall keep all information on self identification confidential. The contractor shall provide the information to OFCCP upon request. This information may be used only in accordance with this part.

(f) Nothing in this section shall relieve the contractor of its obligation to take affirmative action with respect to those applicants or employees who are known to the contractor to be special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, recently separated veterans, or other protected veterans.

(g) Nothing in this section shall relieve the contractor from liability for discrimination under the Act.