FAR 22.1308—Complaint procedures.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 22.1308 explains how complaints about administration of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) are handled in the federal contracting process. It covers the required complaint-routing procedures for contracting offices, the acceptable places to send complaints, and the role of the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The section also identifies the Director of OFCCP as the official responsible for investigating complaints. In practice, this means contracting personnel do not investigate these complaints themselves; instead, they must promptly forward them through the prescribed channels so the proper labor compliance office can review them. The rule exists to centralize enforcement, ensure complaints are handled by the correct labor compliance authorities, and provide contractors and workers a clear path for raising concerns about VEVRAA administration.
Key Rules
Forward complaints promptly
The contracting office must forward any complaints received about administration of the Act. This is a mandatory routing duty, not a discretionary one, and it must be done following agency procedures.
Use approved complaint channels
Complaints may be sent to VETS, the OFCCP Director, any OFCCP regional, district, or area office, or through the local Veterans’ Employment Representative or designee at the local State employment office. These are the recognized intake points for complaints under this section.
OFCCP investigates complaints
The Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is responsible for investigating complaints. Contracting offices and other intake points serve as conduits; they do not decide the merits of the complaint under this section.
Agency procedures still apply
The forwarding requirement is to be carried out following agency procedures. Agencies may have internal routing, documentation, or notification steps, but those procedures cannot replace the obligation to send complaints to the proper labor enforcement office.
Complaint administration only
This section addresses complaints about the administration of the Act, not general contract administration issues. The focus is on complaints tied to VEVRAA compliance and enforcement.
Responsibilities
Contracting Office
Receive complaints about administration of the Act and forward them, following agency procedures, to VETS, the OFCCP Director, an OFCCP regional/district/area office, or through the local Veterans’ Employment Representative or designee at the local State employment office.
Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
Investigate complaints about administration of the Act.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS)
Serve as an authorized recipient of complaints for routing under this section.
OFCCP Regional, District, or Area Office
Serve as authorized intake points for complaints under this section and route them for appropriate action.
Local Veterans’ Employment Representative or Designee at the State Employment Office
Serve as an authorized local channel through which complaints may be submitted.
Agency
Establish and follow internal procedures for forwarding complaints in a timely and proper manner.
Practical Implications
Contracting offices should not try to investigate or resolve the merits of VEVRAA administration complaints on their own; their job is to route them correctly.
Internal agency procedures matter, but they must support—not delay or block—the required forwarding of complaints to the proper labor compliance office.
Contractors should understand that complaints may be filed through multiple channels, including local veterans’ employment representatives and OFCCP offices, so compliance issues can surface outside the contracting office.
A common pitfall is misrouting a complaint as a general contract issue instead of treating it as a VEVRAA-related complaint for OFCCP/VETS handling.
Timely forwarding is important because complaint handling is centralized with OFCCP, and delays can affect enforcement, documentation, and response expectations.
Official Regulatory Text
Following agency procedures, the contracting office must forward any complaints received about the administration of the Act to the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor, or to the Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, or to any OFCCP regional, district, or area office or through the local Veterans’ Employment Representative or designee, at the local State employment office. The Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, is responsible for investigating complaints.