# Presentation: 400218

## Veterans’ Affairs Employment Coalition for America’s Veterans National Conference

**Department of Labor **
**Veterans’ Employment Programs**

**October 14, 2005**
**Washington, DC**
**Charles “Chick” Ciccolella**
**Assistant Secretary**

## VETS Mission

- Providing ***Veterans***** *****and Transitioning Servicemembers***
** **with the resources and services to
-  ***succeed in the 21******st****** Century*** ***workforce***
-  by maximizing their _employment opportunities_, protecting their
-  _employment rights_, and meeting _labor market demands_
-  with qualified Veterans.

## VETS Programs

- Jobs for Veterans
- DVOP/LVER State Grants
- Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program
- Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program
- Veterans Workforce Investment Program
- President’s National Hire Veterans Committee
- Protecting Servicemembers Rights
- USERRA
- Veterans Preference
- Federal Contractor
- Transition Assistance for Separating Servicemembers
- TAP
- Overseas TAP
- REALifelines
- Disabled Veterans Hiring Initiative

## VETS Organization

## Staffing

## VETS Budget

**Millions**

## DOL and VA Relationships

- VA Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans
- VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans
- VA Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation
- Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP)
- Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP)
- VR&E Memorandum of Understanding
- Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH)
- VA Employment Coalition for America’s Veteran

## DVOP/LVER Program Jobs for Veterans Act Grants

- Employment focused grant program
- DVOP/LVER funding is based upon where the veteran job seekers are
- LVER (since 1944) – employer outreach and facilitation of veteran services within the Career Centers
- DVOP (since 1980 – intensive services to veterans
- 2,334 representatives located at Job Centers nation-wide

## The Public Workforce System

- State Workforce
- Investment Boards
- (Includes Business, Government
- And Labor Leaders)

- U.S. Department of Labor

- Local Workforce
- Investment Boards
- (Includes Business, Labor and
- Other Community Leaders)

- Local One-Stop Career
- Centers
- (Delivers Services to Employers and
- Job Seekers)

## One-Stop Locations

- $15 Billion
- Annual Investment
- Employers have
- direct access
- to these services

- Over 3,500
- career centers
- nationwide

## Employment trends

**Employment trends**

**Non-vets**

**All vets**

**Vets 20- 24 yo**

**Civilian 18-19 yo**

**“****Non-vets” and “All vets” are ages 20+**

**% Unemployed**

## Employment of Veterans

**Employment of Veterans**

**Retained employment**

**Entered employment**

**Note: Fy 2003 was first year of measurement for retained employment**

## USERRA Update

- Almost 500,000 activated; nearly 140,000 still serving
- Complaints level at 1,500/year (900/year prior to 9-11-2001)
- Complaints trending downward in FY 2005 (1,320 cases)
- How working better
- Final regulations
- Electronic 1010
- Better VETS-ESGR relationship
- Employer notice poster
- Senior compliance specialist in regions

*GOAL: Improved outreach to employers, employees, and        Reserve Component/National Guard members*

## USERRA Cases Opened

## Transition Assistance Program

**Since 1991, 2 1⁄2 day, in person, employment services workshop**
**United States**
- Locations: 173 installations
- Current workload: 3,392 workshops / 127,908 participants
- Projected (FY 2005) workload: 150,000 participants
*      *
**Overseas (since October 2003)**
- Locations: 49 sites in 8 countries
- Current workload: 1,001 workshops / 16,500 participants
*      *

*GOAL:  Standard workshops and review of curriculum*

*GOAL:  Total overseas coverage*

## Reserve Component/National Guard TAP

- Total Force Policy since 1973
- TAP began 1990
- RC/NG requirements have changed
- Extended deployments
- Rapid demobilization
- Pilot programs
- Oregon, Michigan, Minnesota
- On demand TAP in many other states
- DoD-led Demobilization Working Group

*GOALS:  *
*Evaluate pilot programs and formalize RC/NG TAP policy*

## Started in October 2003
Onsite personal assistance at military treatment facilities
VETS representation at Joint Operations Center
National referral networking through DVOPs
Follow up by DOL state directors

- Onsite personal assistance at military treatment facilities
- VETS representation at Joint Operations Center
- National referral networking through DVOPs
- Follow up by DOL state directors

*GOAL: No seriously wounded/injured service member left behind*

**Recovery & Employment Assistance Lifelines**

## Hire Vets First Campaign

## Conference Targeted Populations

- Seriously wounded
- REALifelines provides face-to-face case management from MSIC
- DOL reps at major military treatment facilities
- OIF/OEF / 20-24 year old / recently separated
- TAP provides employment workshops
- One-Stop system
- Veterans receive Priority of Service at 3,500 locations,   $15 B investment
- 2,334 DVOPs and LVERs provide face-to-face intensive services