{"id":16565,"date":"2026-08-24T11:49:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T16:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/?post_type=resources&p=16565"},"modified":"2026-08-25T14:31:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T19:31:49","slug":"ofccp-relaxes-rules-for-federal-contractors","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/employment-law-updates\/ofccp-relaxes-rules-for-federal-contractors\/","title":{"rendered":"OFCCP relaxes rules for federal contractors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Written by: <\/p>\n\n\n

Emily Scace<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Share<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published a trio of Final Rules that reduce affirmative action-related compliance requirements for federal contractors. All three take effect September 21, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most affirmative action requirements officially gone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rescission of Executive Order 11246 Implementing Regulations<\/a> officially rescinds regulations under Executive Order (EO) 11246, which had required covered federal contractors to take affirmative action with regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move is largely a formality; President Trump’s EO 14173<\/a> rescinded EO 11246 in January 2025 and required covered contractors to end their affirmative action programs by April of that year. Although the affirmative action regulations remained on the books, they were not enforced. The Final Rule aligns the official state of federal law regarding affirmative action with the Trump administration’s approach in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disability and veteran status changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities – required by the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, respectively – are still in place. But the remaining two Final Rules make some changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more substantive changes relate to disability-related inquiries under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. Under Modifications to the Regulations Implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended<\/a>, federal contractors will no longer be required to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n