OVERVIEW
The Office of Compliance ended 2003 as an organization in the latter stages of transition. While still focused on its core missions – education and training, occupational safety and health enforcement, and dispute resolution – the OOC is progressing beyond the early years of its initial formation. Building on its past successes, the OOC is offering enhanced services to its regulated community.
Fundamental to the ongoing transition was the initiation in 2003 of a new strategic planning process for the OOC. The Office leadership, working with the entire staff, is in the final stages of developing a strategic plan to guide the OOC for the next five years. This plan provides overarching goals for the whole organization, as well as a framework for a detailed work plan to guide staff in accomplishing OOC initiatives.
The OOC instituted a number of other changes in 2003. A new employee evaluation process was implemented to provide greater feedback to staff on goals and results, and a comprehensive review of the OOC’s use of information technology was put into motion. An internal task force is studying all aspects of the OOC’s computer systems in order to determine how best to leverage current and emerging technologies to improve efficiency and outreach to the regulated community.
The OOC’s five member Board of Directors also began several major new initiatives during the past year that will continue into 2004. The Board authored changes to OOC procedural rules, and has also begun the process of drafting comprehensive regulations to implement the rights and protections of the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act. Stakeholder input will be sought on these draft regulations prior to their implementation.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
The education and outreach program in 2003 implemented the OOC’s effort to educate the Congressional community in more expansive ways. While maintaining the successful efforts of the past, a comprehensive program to clarify the image of the OOC and make the educational products more user-friendly was begun in 2003 and will continue into 2004. The goal of this effort is to ensure understanding and complying with the CAA is easier for covered employees and employers.
