Proposed FY27 Budget Would Move VEVRAA And Section 503 Enforcement To New DOL Civil Rights Office

The White House has proposed creating an Office of Civil Rights at the Labor Department to enforce Section 503, VEVRAA, and most whistleblower laws.

The President’s proposed FY 2027 budget, which was submitted to Congress April 3, would transfer enforcement of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act to DOL’s new Office of Civil Rights. The proposal calls for eliminating the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, following a similar proposal last year.

The budget also would move administration of most whistleblower protection statutes currently enforced by OSHA to the new Office of Civil Rights and consolidate responsibility for equal employment opportunity protections for DOL employees and applicants and for individuals served by specified workforce training programs. The budget requests $35.4 million and authorization for 110 full-time-equivalent employees.

Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC), our affiliated nonprofit membership association, can read more here. CWC will update its funding resource as Congress considers the proposal and advances appropriations bills.