U.S. Department of Labor

Veterans’ Employment 

and Training Service

November 2020
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TAB 1: AGENCY ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW ........................................................ 3

TAB 2: STATE OF PLAY ...................................................................................................... 9

TAB 3: CALENDAR ............................................................................................................ 16

TAB 4: BUDGET.................................................................................................................. 18

TAB 5: AGENCY PERFORMANCE................................................................................... 23
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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TAB 1: AGENCY ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Mission

The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) directly supports the Department’s 

Strategic Goal 1: Support the Ability of All Americans to Find Good Jobs and Strategic 

Objective 1.2: Provide veterans, service members, and their spouses with resources and tools to 

gain and maintain employment.

VETS Mission1: We prepare America's veterans, service members, and their spouses for 

meaningful careers, provide them with employment resources and expertise, protect their 

employment rights, and promote their employment opportunities.

VETS Vision: Enabling all veterans to reach their full potential in the workplace.

Authorizing Legislation

The establishment of the position of Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and 

Training, the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and 

Training, and the position of Regional Administrator at the six regional offices are codified in 38 

U.S.C. § 4102A. Legislation establishing the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ 

Employment and Training was enacted on October 17, 1980. 

The agency’s programs are authorized through 38 U.S.C.2 4100-4110 A, 4111, 4212, 4214 and 

4321-4327; 10 U.S.C. 1144, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights 

Act of 1994 (USERRA) (P.L. 103-353); the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act 

(P.L. 100-77); Section 168, VOW To Hire Heroes Act (P.L. 112-56); and the Workforce 

Innovation and Opportunity Act (P.L. 113-128).

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Organizational Structure 

VETS has approximately 240 employees distributed across a National Office and six regional 

offices. The Office of National Programs and the Office of Field Operations are each led by an 

SES Director. The Office of Agency Management and Budget and the Office of Strategic 

Outreach are each led by a GS-15 Director. The six regional offices are each led by a GS-15 

Regional Administrator. 

 1 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/about. 2 https://www.dol.gov/vets/usc/vpl/usc38.htm. 3 https://www.doleta.gov/WIOA/.
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Organizational Chart

The Organization Chart as of November 1, 2020 is provided below.

The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) proposed a reorganization, which was 

approved on September 26, 2020. The reorganization, scheduled for implementation by early 

December, will: (1) realign the Office of National Programs (ONP) under the Deputy Assistant 

Secretary for Policy, (2) establish the Office of Research and Policy (ORP), and (3) place the 

Office of Strategic Outreach (OSO) under the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy. 
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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An Organization Chart that reflects the Reorganization is provided below. 

 

Office of National Programs (ONP) 

The Director of ONP, a career SES, serves as VETS’ principal advisor regarding VETS 

programs, which include compliance activities related to the Uniformed Services Employment 

and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); compliance activities related to Veterans’ 

Preference; activities, processes, and oversight of VETS grant programs including the Jobs for 

Veterans State Grant (JVSG) and the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program 

(HVRP); activities, processes, and oversight related to VETS’ national program contracts 

including the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for separating service members and the 

National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI).

Office of Field Operations (OFO)

The Director of OFO, a career SES, directs the six regional offices and their teams in each state. 

The 180 staff who comprise OFO implement the agency’s policies and oversee its programs 

across the nation, enabling the Assistant Secretary to successfully accomplish VETS’ missions. 

There are six regions–Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. 

Primary regional functions include ensuring the operation, implementation, and promotion of all 

veterans’ employment and training programs and services within the region; providing oversight 

and training to VETS investigative staff; and coordinating, monitoring, and providing technical 

assistance to states and competitive grantees for veterans’ employment and training programs. 

The regional offices have the following geographic coverage: 
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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• Boston: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 

Rhode Island, Vermont, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

• Philadelphia: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and 

West Virginia. 

• Atlanta: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South 

Carolina, and Tennessee.

• Chicago: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, and 

Wisconsin.

• Dallas: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South 

Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

• San Francisco: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, 

Washington, and U.S. territories in the Pacific. 

Office of Agency Management and Budget (OAMB) 

The Director of OAMB, a GS-15, serves as the principal advisor to the Deputy Assistant 

Secretary of Operations and Management on the following management activities: budget 

formulation, execution, tracking, and evaluation; purchasing and contract procurements; internal 

controls; human resources and executive services; organizational performance measurement; 

information technology; and agency-wide administrative operations.

Office of Strategic Outreach (OSO)

The Director of OSO, a GS-15, sets and guides the strategy for all communications, legislative 

testimony, congressional inquiries, website content, and public messaging to consistently 

articulate the VETS mission. OSO manages the Veterans’ Employer Outreach Program, HIRE 

Vets Medallion Program, and the Women Veteran Program. OSO also serves as the information, 

outreach, and public affairs contact with employers, veterans’ service and military organizations, 

unions, and the print and broadcast media for all matters relating to VETS’ programs and 

activities. 

 

Office of Research and Policy (ORP)

The ORP will plan, organize, coordinate, and execute VETS’ research efforts and policy 

activities. This Office will provide VETS with strategic considerations to improve program 

outcomes through coordination and analysis of research findings related to veteran employment. 

It will analyze, formulate, and recommend legislative changes and options for policy initiatives 

and work in collaboration with other VETS’ offices and programs to achieve common goals. 

ORP will be responsible for the work products of the Disabled Veterans Program and the 

Women Veterans Program. 
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Workforce At-A-Glance

Organizational Changes During the Past Four Years 

As described earlier, the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) proposed a 

reorganization, which was approved on September 26, 2020 and is scheduled for implementation 

by early December. Other organizational changes during the past four years include: 

• Finalized the formal establishment of the Office of Strategic Outreach

• Created a separate division in ONP with responsibility for TAP

• Created a Compliance Assistance Position in the Division of Compliance Programs in ONP
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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• Created a Senior Researcher position, and initiated a Disabled Veteran Research program

• Created six Regional Investigator Positions (1800 series)

Key Leaders 

SES Leadership Positions

• John Lowry, Assistant Secretary

• Vacant, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy

• J.S. “Sam” Shellenberger, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations 

• William Metheny, Director of Field Operations 

• Ivan Denton, Director of National Programs 

Non-SES Leadership Positions

• Jonathan VanderPlas, Chief of Staff 

• Iris S. Díaz, Director of Agency Management and Budget

• Mark Toal, Director of Strategic Outreach

• Maria Temiquel, Director, Division of Grants/National Veterans Training Institute

• William Torrans, Director, Division of Compliance Programs

• Timothy Winter, Director, Transition Assistance Program 

• John Savage, Administrator, Atlanta Region 

• Michael Colman, Administrator, Boston Region

• Vacant, Administrator, Chicago Region 

• Heather Higgins, Administrator, Philadelphia Region 

• Alfred Kwok, Administrator, San Francisco Region
TAB 2: State of Play

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TAB 2: STATE OF PLAY

Key Meetings, Decisions, and Announcements

January 2021

• HIRE Vets Medallion Program 2020 application period opens on January 31, 2021.

March 2021

• TAP Apprenticeship Pilot ends, TAP Employment Navigator Pilot begins.

• On March 8, the Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, Training, and 

Employer Outreach (ACVETEO) is planning to hold its first meeting of 2021. The 

Committee is responsible for assessing the employment and training needs of veterans.

April 2021

• Hire Vets Medallion Program 2020 application period closes on April 30, 2021.

October 2021

• Notify employers who will receive HIRE Vets Medallion Awards no later than October 11. 

VETS will also notify applicants who will not be receiving an award at that time. 

November 2021

• Announce the names of HIRE Vets Medallion award recipients at a time to coincide with 

Veterans Day.

Policy and Regulatory Issues

Transition Assistance Program 

In VETS, one of our recent focus areas has been to improve the assistance we provide to service 

members who are completing their military duties to transition successfully to civilian life. Last 

year, as a member of the interagency Transition Assistance Program (TAP), our agency provided 

in-person employment workshops to 172,000 service members at more than 200 military

installations worldwide. TAP assists transitioning service members to set the employment 

trajectory that will inform the rest of their lives. As the consequences of a successful or 

unsuccessful transition compound over time, it is critical that we provide service members with 

the resources and opportunities necessary to get the transition right. 

To further improve the transition experience of our service members, the VETS Division of TAP 

will facilitate improved employment outcomes, as discussed below:

• Specialized curricula for service members and military spouses;
TAB 2: State of Play

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• An “Employment Navigator and Partnership” pilot to expand the employment assistance 

provided through workshops beyond the classroom for the first time in program history;

• A data-matching project with the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) to analyze 

the most influential factors to transitioning service members’ civilian wage outcomes;

• A Veteran Employment Challenge for the private sector to develop a new job-matching 

tool that uses all the capability of modern technology to better connect transitioning 

service member and employers; and

• An apprenticeship pilot program that links DOL, DOD, VA, public and private sector 

resources to help interested service members enroll in apprenticeship programs prior to 

separation.

Enhancing TAP Curricula

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019, (P.L. 115-232), became 

law on August 13, 2018, and included program changes to TAP. In response, with a focus on 

improved outcomes, VETS revised the employment course curricula to provide a one-day 

employment preparation workshop that is mandatory for all transitioning service members, an 

optional two-day workshop for career exploration and technical career preparation, and an 

optional two-day workshop for general employment preparation. In addition, DOD will offer an 

optional two-day workshop on Higher Education, and SBA will offer an optional two-day 

workshop on Entrepreneurship. These changes to TAP were designed to help transitioning 

service members make the best career choices among those available to them, taking into 

account individual skills and high-demand career fields.

VETS is developing course curriculum specific to military spouses who are transitioning out of 

the service or to another installation. The Transition Employment Assistance for Military 

Spouses (TEAMS) curriculum will assist military spouses in their career endeavors with training 

on employment essentials, tailored to their unique circumstances. TEAMS will include 

components of the current curriculum for service members, such as resume development and 

interviewing techniques, and also include components more specific to the needs of military 

spouses as a result of their frequent moves and the complexities associated with state licensing 

and credentialing requirements. As an example, last year DOL developed a military spouse web 

portal where military spouses can search efficiently for specific points of contact, guidelines, and 

state laws on professional licensing, including information on how occupational licenses from 

one state can be recognized in another. While developing the new course curriculum in 

coordination with DOD’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership, VETS continues to evaluate 

delivery options with DOD to determine the most effective and efficient format--likely hybrid 

models that allow face-to-face programming and digital delivery.

In FY 2021, VETS plans to develop a transition assistance curriculum designed specifically to 

address the employment needs of wounded warriors. The curriculum will pay special attention 

to job accommodation resources developed in coordination with the Office of Disability 

Employment Policy, so that wounded warriors are able to realize their full potential despite the 

injuries they incurred in service to all of us.
TAB 2: State of Play

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Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot

To provide a more agile and individualized employment transition service, VETS is in the 

development phase of an individualized, employment-outcome-based pilot program to help 

service members leverage the best-fit partner resources. Inspired and informed by the model 

many colleges use to provide career counseling and placement offices on campus, Employment 

Navigators will be available on select military installations in Fiscal Year 2021 to assist

transitioning service members find the career path most suited to their desires and capabilities 

and to connect them with the most effective transition partner resources to help them reach their 

goals. Using customer-based case management referrals to the appropriate government and nongovernment entities, Employment Navigators will assist service members to navigate the 

overwhelming array of programs to find the best fit for each of them. 

Employment Outcomes / National Directory of New Hires

To assess the effectiveness of the “Employment Navigators” as well as to better understand and 

improve the aspects of military service and TAP that contribute to future employment outcomes, 

we are arranging a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services in order to use the National Directory of New Hires to properly track and 

analyze employment outcome data. VETS receives data daily from DOD on transitioning 

service members. This growing database contains demographic information, highest education 

level achieved, military base geographic data, and a list of all the courses each service member 

participated in during the transition process. By matching the data with the National Directory of 

New Hires, we will be able to analyze the most influential factors in a successful transition.

Veterans Employment Challenge

Using America Competes Act authority, in December 2019, VETS, with in-kind support in 

testing and review from DOD and the VA, established the Veterans Employment Challenge. 

The Veterans Employment Challenge invited private sector organizations to compete to develop 

a better job-matching tool for transitioning service members and veterans. After three phases 

that included more than 50 competitors, three finalists conducted field testing in the challenge’s 

fourth phase. The finalists, Eightfold, LinkedIn, and Square Peg Hires, presented their software 

solutions to transitioning service members from various Army installations through virtual TAP 

workshops. The transitioning service members evaluated their user experience and provided 

feedback as part of the competitive review process.

In July, based on user-experience evaluations, Eightfold.ai was selected as the finalist. Further 

testing and evaluations conducted in August confirmed the product’s effectiveness with 

transitioning service members, transition assistance instructors, and employers. VETS supports

the development of Eightfold.ai’s software with a goal of making this finished platform to all 

transitioning service members, military spouses, and veterans.
TAB 2: State of Play

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Apprenticeship Pilot

Apprenticeships offer effective pathways to gain critical job skills and connect talented workers 

with employers. The FY 2019 appropriations bill provided funding for VETS to run an 

apprenticeship pilot program, including a robust evaluation component. VETS launched the pilot 

at eight U.S. military installations to offer transitioning service members, and their spouses, 

opportunities to be hired into apprenticeship positions in industries and locations that match their 

interests prior to separation. From April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, Apprenticeship Placement 

Counselors will draw on their networks of prospective employers, industry associations, and 

stakeholders to connect the participants to viable apprenticeship opportunities across the country. 

Transitioning service members are well equipped to become apprentices as they are goaloriented, hard-working, responsible, and have proven leadership skills. VETS will incorporate

lessons learned and best practices into the employment navigator program and broader transition

assistance portfolio.

VETS Compliance Programs

VETS administers the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 

(USERRA), 38 U.S.C. 4301-4335 and investigates claims under the Veterans’ Employment 

Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA), 5 U.S.C. 3330a et. seq..

USERRA 

VETS has statutory responsibility for interpreting, administering, and helping enforce USERRA. 

USERRA comprises three major areas: 1) Anti-discrimination–USERRA provides that 

employers cannot take any adverse action against any current or prospective employee, due in 

any part to that individual’s past, present, or future military service, status, or obligations; 2) 

Anti-retaliation–USERRA provides that no employer can take any adverse action against any 

employee—regardless of military affiliation—for either asserting or helping another employee 

assert his or her rights under the statute; and 3) Reemployment–USERRA provides that 

employees who meet the criteria for entitlement to reemployment rights must be promptly 

reinstated into the same positions of status, seniority, and rate of pay they otherwise would have 

attained had they remained continuously employed. This is commonly referred to as the 

escalator principle and has been the law since 1946. 

USERRA is a highly complex statute, and covers virtually all employers—private and public. 

VETS provides extensive technical assistance through briefings to all members of the general 

public, military units, and professional associations. In addition, VETS investigates complaints

received from individuals who believe their USERRA rights were violated. If VETS is unable to 

resolve a case to a claimant’s satisfaction, regardless of the outcome, the claimant may elect to 

continue to pursue relief through private counsel or through the U.S. Department of Justice 

(DOJ) or the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for independent review and consideration of 

litigation in U.S. District Court (non-federal, state, private employers), or before the MSPB 

(federal employers). 

VETS USERRA investigators must undergo a two-week training course at NVTI before being 

allowed to investigate USERRA cases. Stakeholders include the National Committee for 
TAB 2: State of Play

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Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the Office of the Solicitor, DOJ, OSC, and OPM. 

VETS is responsible for publishing Quarterly Reports to Congress on timeliness of its 

investigations, due one month after the end of each quarter, and a USERRA Annual Report to 

Congress due July 1. Annual case volumes over the last four years have ranged from 1,000 -

1,100. 

For both VEOA and USERRA, cases are tracked through an electronic information management 

system, the VETS Case Management System (VCMS). The VCMS became operational in April 

of 2020. . 

VEOA 

This primarily involves veterans’ preference in federal hiring and during reductions-in-force 

(RIFs). The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for interpreting and 

administering those statutes and regulations governing veterans’ preference in the federal sector. 

VETS is responsible for investigating complaints received from preference-eligible veterans who 

believe their veterans’ preference rights in federal hiring were violated. VETS receives 600-800 

veterans’ preference complaints annually. VETS does not have enforcement authority over 

veterans’ preference. If VETS finds the evidence supports the claimant’s allegation, VETS will 

work with the subject federal agency to obtain the appropriate relief, which often involves 

reconsideration of the certified list of applicants. If VETS is unable to resolve the matter to the 

veteran’s satisfaction (regardless of the outcome of the case) the veteran may elect to continue to 

pursue the matter with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). 

VETS’ investigators must first complete a one-week course on VEOA at the National Veterans’ 

Training Institute (NVTI) before being allowed to investigate a veterans’ preference case. Most 

veterans’ preference cases are investigated through telephone interviews, electronic transmission 

(e-mail) of documents and statements, and hard-copy evidentiary material. 
TAB 2: State of Play

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The Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) and the Homeless Veterans Reintegration 

Program (HVRP)

VETS administers two grant programs. The largest grant is the JVSG program, which annually 

funds approximately 1,400 Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialist and 500 

Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER) via the State Workforce Agencies (SWA). 

DVOP specialist provide services to Veterans with significant barriers to employment and 

LVER staff conduct employer outreach to local businesses about the benefits of hiring Veterans. 

Over the past few years, VETS made the following policy adjustments:

• Clarified state flexibility in utilizing Consolidated Positions. Consolidated Positions are used 

in several States, which combines or consolidates the role of a DVOP and a LVER

• Removed merit staffing requirements from Grant Provisions.

VETS administers HVRP to over 150 grantees across the US. These grantees provide 

employment related services and support to homeless veterans with a goal of reintegrating them 

back into the workforce. Over the past few years, VETS made the following HVRP policy 

adjustments:

• Implemented service to veterans that are “at risk” of becoming homeless, consistent with VA 

programs that serve homeless veterans.

• Shifted the program from an annual grant into a three year grant, incrementally funded on an 

annual basis.

• Emphasized JVSG and HVRP integration via various policy documents.

Key Agency Stakeholders

VETS engages with public- and private-sector employers to leverage the right strategic 

partnerships to maximize the impact on veteran employment outcomes. 

Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs)

VETS works closely with congressionally-chartered VSOs, including the American Legion, 

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Student Veterans of 

America (SVA), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), 

Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and American Veterans (AMVETS).

Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO)

The Committee’s charter and obligation is to assess the employment and training needs of the 

nation’s veterans, and advise VETS with regard to the extent to which the Department’s 

programs and activities are meeting the employment and training needs of veterans. The 

ACVETEO is a non-discretionary federal advisory committee and is subject to the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Kayla Williams is the ACVETEO Chairperson until January 

2022. She is affiliated with the Center for a New American Security. More information on 

Kayla is available at: https://www.cnas.org/people/kayla-m-williams.
TAB 2: State of Play

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Federal Partners

VETS works closely with the following Federal Partners in support of all the Agency programs.

 

• DOD: Military to Civilian Transition Office, Force Education and Training 

• VA Veterans’ Benefit Administration: the Office of Transition and Economic 

Development, Education Services, and Veteran Readiness and Employment.

• Small Business Administration: Office of Veteran Business Development

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

• Department of Education

• Department of Transportation 

Other Stakeholders

VETS also works closely with the following organizations: 

• National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)

• National Governors’ Association (NGA)

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Hiring our Heroes Foundation 

• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): Labor and Economic Development 

Committee

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 

• U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH)

• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)

• Syracuse University: Institute for Veterans and Military Families
TAB 3: Calendar

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TAB 3: CALENDAR

*VETS is responsible for publishing two Annual Reports to Congress. These include an overall 

annual report (which includes HIRE Vets Medallion Program data) and a separate USERRA 

Event Date

HIRE Vets Medallion Program’s annual application period January 31 – April 30 

USERRA Quarterly Report to Congress January 30, 2021 

2020 Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, Training, and Employer 

Outreach (ACVETEO) report to Congress 

February 1, 2021

Planned release of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for HVRP and the 

Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families grants

February 1, 2021

Annual Report Due to Congress* February 1, 2021

ACVETEO Quarterly Meeting

TAP Executive Council Quarterly Meeting

1st Quarter, 2021 

Annual notification of the JVSG fiscal year funding estimates to the state 

workforce agencies.

April 2021

USERRA Quarterly Report to Congress April 30, 2021

ACVETEO Quarterly Meeting

TAP Executive Council Quarterly Meeting

2nd Quarter 2021

USERRA Annual Report to Congress July 1, 2021

HVRP and the Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families grants 

awarded

July 1, 2021

ACVETEO Quarterly Meeting

TAP Executive Council Quarterly Meeting

3rd Quarter 2021

USERRA Quarterly Report to Congress July 30, 2021

VETS’ 4212 Federal Contractor Program filing season (Note: Contractors may 

submit 4212 reports throughout the year, as needed)

August 1 – September 

30 (Annually)

HIRE Vets Medallion Program Award Recipients Notified NLT October 11, 2021

ACVETEO Quarterly Meeting

TAP Executive Council Quarterly Meeting

4th Quarter 2021

USERRA Quarterly Report to Congress October 30, 2021

HIRE Vets Medallion Program Award Event (scheduled in the vicinity of 

Veterans Labor Day)

November 2021

ACVETEO required annual report submission to the Secretary of Labor and to 

the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees. 

December 31, 2021

2020 ACVETEO report to Congress February 1, 2022
TAB 3: Calendar

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Annual Report. Although the overall report is due on February 1, annual fiscal year data is not 

available until approximately 60 days after the end of the fiscal year (November 30). The report 

can be produced only after the relevant annual fiscal year data is collected and analyzed. The 

overall annual report was transmitted to Congress in May 2020, and the USERRA Annual 

Report was transmitted to Congress in July 2020. 
TAB 4: Budget

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TAB 4: BUDGET

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

BUDGET AUTHORITY AND FTE SUMMARY

(Dollars in millions)

FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021

Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Request

Budget Authority $279.0 $295.0 $300.0 $311.3 $312.0

FTE* 237 229 217 220 220

*Reflects authorized direct FTE only. 

At-A-Glance

• The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers programs that address 

the employment, training, and job security needs of Americans who have served in uniform. 

VETS prepares transitioning service members and military spouses for civilian employment 

and provides employment and training services to eligible veterans and their spouses. VETS

also protects the employment rights of service members and veterans, and ensures that 

federal employers give appropriate preferential hiring to veterans.

• VETS programs and activities are funded through five separate appropriations:

o Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) – JVSG is a formula grant to states that assists 

veterans in obtaining and maintaining meaningful employment through services provided 

at American Job Centers (AJC) and other locations. Funds are allocated to State 

Workforce Agencies (SWA) in direct proportion to the number of veterans seeking 

employment in the particular state and the number of unemployed persons in the state.

o Transition Assistance Program (TAP) – TAP is jointly administered by the Department 

of Defense (DOD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and DOL. DOL provides

(under contract) a one-day TAP Employment Workshop, and two specialized multi-day

employment workshops both domestically and abroad, to assist veterans in transitioning 

to civilian employment. 

o Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) – HVRP is a discretionary grant 

program focused exclusively on the employment of veterans who are homeless. Grantees 

provide job training, counseling, and placement services, including job readiness, 

literacy, and skills training, to aid in the re-integration of homeless veterans into the labor 

force. 

o National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI) –NVTI ensures a high level of 

proficiency and training for state staff that provide veterans employment services. NVTI 

also provides training to federal staff who perform compliance and enforcement activities 

under USERRA and Veterans’ Preference. NVTI is funded through a contract.

o Federal Administration – USERRA Enforcement (FA) – FA funds VETS’ staff and 

associated administrative expenses for all programs. FA also funds VETS’ compliance

activities including investigations of claims from protected individuals under two labor 

laws: the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)

and the Veterans’ Employment Opportunities Act.
TAB 4: Budget

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Budget and FTE Trends

• From FY 2012 to FY 2020, VETS’ budget authority has increased from $264.4 million to 

$311.3 million. 

• In FY 2014, most activities were funded at approximately the pre-sequestration and prerecession levels of FY 2013 except JVSG, which received an increase of $14.4 million. The 

President’s Request for VETS in FYs 2015 and 2016 largely included only inflationary 

increases, which were provided. 

• In FY 2012, VETS’ authorized FTE level was 218. The FY 2020 FTE ceiling is 221. VETS 

hired staff to support changes to TAP required by the 2019 National Defense Authorization 

Act (NDAA).

• VETS has authority in its appropriations language to transfer up to three percent between the 

four activities funded by the Unemployment Trust Fund. In FY 2017 and 2018, these funds 

were also used to cover start-up costs for the HIRE VETS program implemented in FY 2019. 

• In FY 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs transferred to VETS $2.0 million and full 

administrative control of the Career Technical Training Track workshops offered within 

TAP. However, in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress changed the 

TAP program to a one-day mandatory employment course and four two-day elective courses. 

VETS is responsible for providing the mandatory course and two of the elective courses. In 

response to the 2019 NDAA, VETS is also piloting TAP employment counselors on base, to 

facilitate better service to transitioning service members and improve employment outcomes. 

VETS is partnering with the Chief Evaluation Office to evaluate these efforts. 

• The FY 2019 Omnibus saw JVSG, HVRP, and NVTI flat-funded from FY 2018, and 

increases to TAP and Fed Admin. VETS received an additional $3.8 million in funds, which 

included $3.5 million in two-year funding for an apprenticeship pilot within TAP. The FY 

2020 appropriation provided a total of $311.3 million for VETS, with an increase of $5.0 

million for HVRP and an increase of $6.0 million for TAP. The FY 2020 appropriation did 

not include language or funding to continue the TAP apprenticeship pilot.

• By statute, the HVMP program is intended to be fully funded by fees. However, due to 

lower than projected fee revenue, VETS has had to augment the fee funding with funding 

from Federal Administration funds. VETS’ current appropriations language permits the 

agency to spend up to $500,000 of the Federal Administration funds annually to support the 

HVMP program. The HVMP program is a priority for Senator Blunt, who chairs the LaborHHS-Education appropriations subcommittee. 

Upcoming Issues

• In 2019, with the implementation of HVMP, VETS collected fees from employers who wish 

to be recognized in their efforts to recruit, employ, and retain veterans. VETS initially 

estimated collecting $1.2 million annually for program costs and to fund three FTE with 

those collections. The collected fees will not be added to the direct appropriation accounts.

• VETS now estimates that it needs approximately $700,000 to sustain the HVMP Program. 

Program fees collected in FY 2019 were $74,100, and fees collected in FY 2020 were 

$106,540. While fee revenue is projected to increase each year, the program has not yet 

reached a sustainable, self-funded level.

• The FY 2019 NDAA mandated changes to TAP which VETS began implementing in FY 

2020. In FY 20, VETS was provided $1.5 million to develop TAP curriculum targeted at 

military spouses and began the workshop pilot in October.
TAB 4: Budget

20

• Due to COVID-19, states shifted the JVSG formula-funded staff to process unemployment 

claims. Therefore, states have been slower than usual in expending the JVSG formula funds. 

Under current appropriations language restrictions, states have only until December 31, 2020,

to expend the JVSG formula funds. The FY 2021 President’s Budget proposed to extend the 

JVSG expenditure period to three years, in line with ETA formula funds. The Department 

submitted an anomaly to extend the expenditure period in the FY 2021 Continuing 

Resolution, but the provision was not enacted as part of the initial Continuing Resolution. 

Congress is aware of the expenditure issue for FY 2020. If the FY 2020 expenditure period 

is not enacted, VETS estimates that states will return approximately $10 million to Treasury. 

Staff Contacts

Joseph Matotek, Budget Officer, Office of Agency Management and Budget

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

matotek.joseph@dol.gov

(202) 693-4720 
TAB 4: Budget

21
TAB 4: Budget

22
TAB 5: Agency Performance

23

TAB 5: Agency Performance

The Department of Labor’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides assistance to the 

nation’s transitioning service members and their spouses by providing a series of employment 

workshops to aid in a successful transition from military to civilian employment. The National 

Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2019 made revisions to TAP, including the structure and 

length of the courses. In 2019, more than 160,000 transitioning service members participated in 

the Employment Workshop course, conducted through nearly 6,000 workshops. Fewer in-person 

courses were delivered in 2020 due to COVID. VETS is working with HHS to obtain access to 

the National Directory of New Hires, which will allow for employment-based outcomes (e.g.,

placement into employment, earnings, employment retention) to be analyzed for all transitioning 

service members.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

DoD Estimated Number of TAP

Participants 180,793 184,040 164,378 160,396 92,981

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

Number of TAP Participants

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Number of TAP DOL Employment

Workshops 6,450 6,313 6,097 5,855 4,136

Number of TAP DOL Employment Workshops 
TAB 5: Agency Performance

24

VETS provides the states with formula funding through the Jobs for Veterans State Grants 

(JVSG) Program to hire veteran employment specialists in the State Workforce System. The 

JVSG-funded employment specialists provide Individualized Career Services at American Job 

Centers to assist veterans in overcoming significant barriers to employment including 

homelessness, disability, or previous incarceration. Studies show that individualized career 

services significantly help veterans obtain jobs.4 

In FY 2017, JVSG transitioned to the standard WIOA placement rate measures and discontinued 

the use of the historic placement rate measures. VETS began collecting outcomes on the new 

WIOA measure in FY 2018. In PY 2018, JVSG served nearly 80,000 veterans at American Job 

Centers nationwide. The Employment Rate (4th quarter after exit) for veterans served by VETS 

funded Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialists was 57 percent. The quarterly 

Median Earnings (2nd quarter after exit) was $6,420. 

The Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) addresses the needs of one of the most 

vulnerable populations of veterans, those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. HVRP 

provides employment and training services to homeless veterans, equipping them with the skills 

to gain meaningful employment. VETS served nearly 20,000 homeless veterans in program year 

(PY) 2019 through the HVRP competitive grant program, which resulted resulting in a job 

placement rate of 55.9 percent of program participants. In PY 2017, a policy change was made 

in the HVRP program allowing grantees to continue serving participants into the following 

program year, increasing overall participation and reducing administrative burden. 

 4 Source: Summit Consulting, January 2015, “Veteran and Non-Veteran Job Seekers”; 

http://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/completed-studies/VeteranNon-VeteranJobSeekers.pdf.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

# of HVRP Participants 16,638 16,096 17,988 19,946 17,100

 -

 5,000

 10,000

 15,000

 20,000

 25,000

HVRP Participants
TAB 5: Agency Performance

25

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) antidiscrimination provisions prohibit employers from taking any adverse action against any current 

or prospective employee, due in any part to those individuals’ past, present, or future military 

service, status, or obligations. Over the past several years, VETS has successfully closed or 

received approved claimant extension for 100 percent of cases within the required 90-day period.

The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE 

Vets Act), required the Secretary to establish a program that solicits voluntary information from 

employers to recognize employer efforts to recruit, employ, and retain veterans. In 2018, VETS 

conducted a limited HIREVets Medallion Program (HVMP) Demonstration Program, accepting 

300 applications and awarding the HIRE Vets Medallion to 239 employers using the same 

criteria as in the rule. After the Demonstration Program, HVMP officially launched in 2019 and 

accepted 433 applications from which 427 employers were awarded the HIRE Vets Medallion. 

In 2020, VETS will award 675 employers, a nearly 60 percent increase from the prior year. The 

official awards announcement will be made on or near Veterans Day 2020, as required by the 

Act.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

HVRP Placement Rate 68.4% 66.0% 60.2%* 55.9% 53.2%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

HVRP Placement Rates

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Completed within 90 Days 87% 89% 85% 83% 86%

Meeting the Agency's Quality

Standard 96% 99% 96% 98% 96%

70%

75%

80%

85%

90%

95%

100%

105%

USERRA Investigations Timeliness and Quality