Berkshire Launches Affirmative Action "Good Faith Efforts" Tracking Tool–REACH

COLUMBIA, MD–July 8, 2014, Today Berkshire Associates Inc. introduces REACH, the long-awaited tool that enables federal contractors to easily document and report on their Good Faith Efforts (GFEs) in accordance with Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ (OFCCP) affirmative action laws. Presently, OFFCP evaluates a federal contractor’s compliance with their affirmative action requirements by the extent of their GFEs. REACH lets users effortlessly track outreach efforts by Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities, and other targeted groups. A good fit for recruiters, recruitment sources can also be listed and scored according to how well they perform. Since OFCCP has been known to request documented evidence of GFEs, REACH’s document upload feature is of considerable importance. Users can store proof of their efforts in case of an audit situation.

What Makes REACH a Big Deal?
The most impressive feature by far, and currently unique to REACH, is its automatic affirmative action plan “link” feature. REACH can automatically link activities to a plan and merge a company’s GFEs into the plan’s narrative. This feature could prove to be a major convenience to federal contractors.

“REACH could prove to be one of the most significant releases in recent years. We are in a period of heavy OFCCP enforcement. Auditors want to see tangible evidence of contractors’ efforts to ensure equal employment opportunity. REACH users will be well-prepared to show proof,” says Manoj Tiwari, VP of Product Development at Berkshire. “Additionally, REACH offers companies the ability to establish and execute meaningful outreach efforts to Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities, and other protected groups that stretch beyond compliance.”

It Gets Better. REACH is Part of BALANCEhub’s Compliance Reporting Center
REACH is an application included in BALANCEhub–a Compliance Control Center that includes: SHARE, for reports sharing, and DASH, an Executive Dashboard. Together, these modules, especially with REACH, create a compliance management powerhouse. BALANCEhub users gain a 360 degree view of affirmative action compliance activities. From distributing plans to monitoring to reporting, BALANCEhub gives contractors the information needed to make better decisions about the makeup of their workforce.
For media inquiries, please contact Lauren Collinson at 800.882.8904.

To find out more about BALANCEhub or REACH, click here, or contact Berkshire Associates at 800.882.8904.

About Berkshire: Berkshire Associates is a human resources consulting and technology firm, specializing in helping companies build the ideal, balanced workforce. As an industry leader, Berkshire provides the latest tools and services for applicant management, compensation management, affirmative action, workforce planning, diversity, and professional training. For over 30 years, Berkshire has serviced the nation’s most recognizable companies; and as a result has mastered providing clients with cost-effective solutions to everyday human resources challenges.

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