USPS OIG Report: Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program (DVAAP) in the [Redacted] District
September 9, 2015 The Postal Service is one of the nation’s largest employers of veterans and disabled veterans and conducts a continuing affirmative action program to recruit, hire, place, and advance disabled veterans. The Postal Service employs 89,319 veterans, which represents 18.3 percent of its total workforce of 489,198. As part of the Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program (DVAAP) , each district has a veterans coordinator with ad hoc duties to assist with issues relating to veterans’ employment.
All federal agencies are required to submit an annual report to the OPM detailing that year’s DVAAP accomplishments and certifying that they have a plan for the new fiscal year. Agency submissions are due no later than December 1. The Postal Service prepares an annual Accomplishment Report and plan certification for veterans and submits it to the OPM. The Postal Service completed and timely submitted its FY 2012 through FY 2014 Accomplishment Reports to OPM. The Postal Service reported on the number of veterans in its workforce, the number of career accessions, and the number of disabled veterans promoted. The reports included planned methods for recruiting, employing, promoting, and developing the careers of veterans. In its FY 2014 Accomplishment Report, the Postal Service reported on its accomplishments in the recruitment and advancement of disabled veterans.
Postal Service Headquarters personnel oversee the required agency-wide plan for the Postal Service and area and district offices have copies of the plan and must implement their respective responsibilities. To promote the DVAAP, the Postal Service established a veterans coordinator for each district with ad hoc duties that include recruiting and networking activities.
This report responds to a request from Senator Bill Nelson to review concerns regarding how the DVAAP is implemented in the District. The objective of our review was to assess the [name redacted] District’s compliance with the DVAAP.
What the OIG Found
[name redacted] [South Florida] District officials did not fully comply with the Postal Service’s DVAAP. Specifically, the district veterans coordinator did not always communicate and partner with veterans organizations across the [name redacted] District or participate in job fairs in the district to promote the Postal Service as a “Best Place to Work” and “Employer of Choice” as required.
These incidents occurred because the [named redacted] District veterans coordinator worked full time as a safety specialist at the [named redacted]Processing and Distribution Center. He stated his safety specialist duties limited his time to perform his duties as veterans coordinator; therefore, he was only able to conduct limited outreach activities to areas closest to the duty station [names redacted] is the only district in the Southern Area of operations where the veterans coordinator is not a Human Resources employee directly involved in recruiting.
In addition, the [name redacted] District Human Resources manager, who is responsible for program oversight, was not aware of the DVAAP or its associated requirements. Therefore, the manager did not oversee, guide, or train the veterans coordinator.
Inadequate oversight, guidance, and training of the district veterans coordinator impeded the [name redacted] District‘s ability to effectively recruit, employ, and advance disabled veterans.
What the OIG Recommended
We recommended management evaluate transferring veterans coordinator duties to a Human Resources employee who is directly involved in recruiting, establish oversight procedures to ensure the Human Resources manager and veterans coordinator perform their duties to include the entire district, and train the district Human Resources manager and veterans coordinator on DVAAP policies and procedures.
USPS OIG FULL REPORT (PDF)
My previous comment waiting moderation, WOW. Amazing of how we pick and choose the thoughts that should be mentioned.
Please feel free to REDACT MY PREVIOUS comment.
Why only 4 points allowed? I am a victim of the corruption of USPS mismanagement being a Black Retired Disable Navy Veteran and probably in the district in negligence. There is a discrimination with racially motivation tone that is also being overlooked in the same district. Being in North Florida area where they promote mediocre and fostering a “Good Old Boys”/ Nepotism environment in mismanagement. Currently the custodians position that was really created specifically for Disabled American Veterans is being harassed and forcing Disable Veterans to retire or leave.
Obviously this idiot is not a veteran. Fire them all and let the employees
run the Post Office. The workers are keeping things above water while the scum management ruin this great organization.
It seems that Postal management has a hard time complying with what they are required to do. What would happen to a low life employee if they failed to do as required? Disciplined! What happens to management? Given a donut and a bonus!
Glad a few workers around to keep trying to deliver the mail , even late, as seems there’s nobody running the store !
lets have a Postal Deregulation Act Of 2016……..sell the place off to UPS and FDX……they will comply with all govt regulations. post office has become a criminal enterprise like the clinton foundation.
I just had a veteran who was recently discharged as me about getting a job with the Post Office. ( I just retired after 26 years in PO and 10 Military ) I responded with only if there are no other jobs available. I told him to try the local, then the county government jobs first as they treat the veterans with respect . The P.O. Upper management only is concerned with the best numbers not the people doing the job. Local managers did at one time try and work with veterans and their disabilities but the upper management was always pressuring them to push them to beyond their limits until they went out sick or got hurt. Then they would be on the other list . 20 years ago, yes it was the best place to work as a veteran or disable vet. Not the NEW POST OFFICE. BTW any Vet out there working for the Post Office make sure you know and understand your rights especially if your involved in a move or consolidation . Check your form 50 and make sure it is correct as that is one of the things they go by..