The apprenticeship Equal Employment Opportunity regulations do not specify veterans as a protected group. However, a sponsor may specifically seek out veterans or give them preference in hiring as long as doing so does not discriminate on the basis of any of the protected characteristics. For example, a preference for veterans – who are more likely to be male than female – might have a disparate impact on women that is neither job-related nor consistent with business necessity. Therefore, sponsors should proceed with caution in creating “veteran-only” apprenticeship programs.
Are veterans considered a protected group under the apprenticeship Equal Employment Opportunity regulations? May a sponsor specifically seek them out or give them preference in hiring?
Equal Employment Opportunity
You may also find helpful
-
Under the Equal Employment Opportunity regulations, sponsors must develop and implement procedures to ensure that apprentices are not harassed because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), sexual orientation, age (40 or older), genetic information, or disability, and to also ensure that their apprenticeship programs are free from intimidation and retaliation. In those situations where discriminatory actions or other actions in violation of this part are taken by employers participating in the sponsor’s program, the sponsor has an obligation to take steps to address the violation when it has knowledge of such actions. Visit the Prevent Harassment page for more information.
Read More -
The regulations protect apprentices participating in apprenticeship programs registered either with the Office of Apprenticeship or a State Apprenticeship Agency, as well as applicants to such programs.
Read More -
If a program has not historically received applications from individuals in underrepresented groups, the sponsor’s outreach and recruitment practices may not be reaching qualified individuals from these groups who would be interested in applying. Accordingly, the Equal Employment Opportunity regulations require Registered Apprenticeship Program sponsors to take steps to ensure all qualified individuals have access to apprenticeship programs and are considered for program vacancies. Such steps include developing a list of recruitment resources that will generate referrals from diverse demographic groups and providing these sources with advance notice of job openings so that they can notify and refer candidates. If underutilization of a certain group persists, sponsors may need to undertake more targeted outreach and recruitment efforts to ensure that they are drawing from a diverse pool of qualified applicants.
Read More -
Yes. The term ethnicity refers to whether an individual is Hispanic or Latino, or not Hispanic or Latino.
Read More