Disabled Veterans' Employment: Additional Planning, Monitoring, and Data Collection Efforts Would Improve Assistance
Published: 2007-09-12T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: To better assist veterans with service-connected disabilities seeking employment, in 2005, the Departments of Labor (Labor) and Veterans Affairs (VA) signed an agreement to coordinate employment services for disabled veterans. Around the same time, VA rolled out a redesigned employment program for these veterans, known as the Five-Track program, which also established an employment coordinator position and job resource labs. To help Congress understand the status of these initiatives, GAO was asked to provide information on (1) the progress in implementing the 2005 agreement and challenges to implementation, (2) the status of implementation of VA's Five-Track program and challenges posed by recently returning veterans, and (3) the role of employment coordinators and job resource labs in serving veterans. To obtain this information, GAO interviewed Labor and VA officials and national veterans' service organizations, and conducted site visits in five states.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: Labor and VA have implemented some elements of their agreement to coordinate efforts, but face challenges executing the agreement on the state level and lack a complete plan for implementing and assessing the progress of the agreement. Labor and VA have implemented one element of the agreement--establishing three joint work groups--but have only partially implemented or taken no action on the others. In addition, all five states we visited had implemented at least some elements of the agreement that need to be carried out on the state level, but faced challenges implementing others. Labor and VA have not developed an implementation plan that includes long-range time frames and benchmarks to measure progress. Further, Labor and VA have not fully assessed state actions to implement the agreement and may not have provided states with sufficient guidance. While VA has mostly implemented its Five-Track employment program for disabled veterans, the employment needs of newly returning veterans may pose challenges. VA officials have completed a pilot study, trained staff, distributed orientation materials, and deployed employment coordinators, but other components remain in process. Some officials expressed concerns that employment programs for disabled veterans--including the Five-Track program--may not be prepared to meet the needs of participants returning from recent conflicts, who VA predicts will be more likely than previous returning veterans to have certain disabilities, such as those associated with traumatic brain injuries. VA has begun efforts to address these needs. VA employment coordinators and job resource labs in the five states we visited provided employment assistance to a limited number of veterans and some of their functions were available elsewhere. Employment coordinators provided direct employment services for veterans and also performed job development and outreach activities. However, employment coordinators we met with provided limited services to veterans outside their local areas, and similar services were available elsewhere. Job resource labs provided some additional resources for veterans, but according to some staff, not many veterans are using the labs. Job resource labs also appeared to duplicate other available services.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: In 2005, an estimated 55,000 of the 2.5 million veterans with service- In 2005, an estimated 55,000 of the 2.5 million veterans with service- connected disabilities were actively seeking employment, and current  connected disabilities were actively seeking employment, and current  military operations in the Middle East may raise that number in the coming  military operations in the Middle East may raise that number in the coming  years. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps disabled veterans  years. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps disabled veterans  find employment through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment  find employment through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment  services (VRE), and the Department of Labor (Labor) does so through the  services (VRE), and the Department of Labor (Labor) does so through the  Veterans’ Employment and Training Service programs (VETS). The two  Veterans’ Employment and Training Service programs (VETS). The two  agencies serve many of the same veterans, and as we have previously  agencies serve many of the same veterans, and as we have previously  reported, an effective relationship between them is important in giving  reported, an effective relationship between them is important in giving  disabled veterans the best chance for successful outcomes.  disabled veterans the best chance for successful outcomes.
In October 2005, Labor and VA signed a national memorandum of  In October 2005, Labor and VA signed a national memorandum of  agreement to coordinate efforts in advancing the employment  agreement to coordinate efforts in advancing the employment  opportunities for disabled veterans. Although the agencies have  opportunities for disabled veterans. Although the agencies have  historically had an agreement, this most recent one was aimed at further  historically had an agreement, this most recent one was aimed at further  improving collaboration and coordination. While the national offices of  improving collaboration and coordination. While the national offices of  Labor and VA have overall responsibility for implementing the agreement,  Labor and VA have overall responsibility for implementing the agreement,  many of the activities set out in the agreement take place on the regional,  many of the activities set out in the agreement take place on the regional,  state, and local levels. Although the missions of Labor’s and VA’s  state, and local levels. Although the missions of Labor’s and VA’s  employment programs to serve disabled veterans are similar, the  employment programs to serve disabled veterans are similar, the  organizational structure of each is somewhat different: VA administers its  organizational structure of each is somewhat different: VA administers its  programs through 57 regional offices staffed by federal employees, while  programs through 57 regional offices staffed by federal employees, while  Labor administers its programs through grants to state workforce  Labor administers its programs through grants to state workforce  agencies.  agencies.
Around the same time the agreement was signed, VA rolled out a  Around the same time the agreement was signed, VA rolled out a  redesigned employment program aimed at standardizing rehabilitation  redesigned employment program aimed at standardizing rehabilitation  services for veterans with service-connected disabilities, known as the  services for veterans with service-connected disabilities, known as the  Five-Track program. The program is intended to serve any disabled  Five-Track program. The program is intended to serve any disabled  veteran who meets the eligibility requirements. Both Labor and VA provide  services to Five-Track program participants, and these services are  covered by the agreement. As part of the Five-Track program, VA  established the employment coordinator position to provide veterans with  assistance preparing for and finding employment. The program also  included provisions for each VA location to install a job resource lab with  computers, Internet access, and other materials for veterans to use in their  career exploration and job search.
You have asked us to study the progress Labor and VA are making toward  implementing these initiatives. To address this request, we examined the  following questions: (1) What progress has been made in implementing the  agreement signed by Labor and VA in 2005 to coordinate efforts to serve  disabled veterans, and what challenges are the agencies facing in  implementing the agreement? (2) What is the status of the implementation  of VA’s redesigned employment program for veterans with service- connected disabilities, known as the Five-Track program, and what  challenges are posed by recently returning veterans? (3) What role do  employment coordinators and job resource labs have in the employment  and training of disabled veterans, and how have they affected the job  search experiences of these veterans, given other available resources?
To answer these questions, we conducted interviews with Labor and VA  officials and representatives of national and local veterans’ service  organizations. We also conducted site visits to five states—Alabama,  California (San Diego Region), Illinois, Michigan, and South Dakota— where we met with VA and Labor staff, state workforce agency officials,  and program participants, and toured job resource labs and one-stop  career centers. We selected a mix of states based on the following criteria:  (1) dispersion across the four VRE geographic areas (Eastern, Central,  Southern, and Western), (2) both pilot and nonpilot sites for the Five- Track program, (3) states with large and small veteran populations, and  (4) states with a history of greater and lesser coordination between VA and  Labor at the state and local levels, which we determined based on input  from Labor and VA officials, veterans’ service organizations, and other  sources. We conducted our work from November 2006 through September  2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing  standards.
subsections: section_title: Background
paragraphs: Labor and VA have had a long-standing relationship formalized by  agreements acknowledging their mutual concern and responsibility for  helping veterans with service-connected disabilities transition to the  civilian workforce. Their past efforts to coordinate and collaborate have  faced difficulties, however. In 2005, at the recommendation of a VA task  force and encouragement of congressional staff, the two agencies forged a  new memorandum of agreement. In this agreement, the agencies agreed to  share information, including wage data, and establish and maintain  management information systems to enable accurate yearly reporting. The  agreement also called for three joint work groups to develop performance  measures to assess partnership program results, design a training  curriculum, and establish joint data collection, analysis, and reports. In  addition, the agreement outlined means to promote cooperation and  eliminate duplication of efforts between the agencies. These include  developing an approach to serving veterans that involves both VA and  state workforce agency staff from the early stages, advising all VA clients  about the employment services offered by the state workforce agency, and  establishing an effective process for referring VA clients who are seeking  employment to the state workforce agency. While many of the specific  elements of the agreement need to be implemented at a national level  within Labor and VA, other activities, by their nature, would take place on  the state or local level. The agreement provides for separate  memorandums of agreement, containing common goals and measures, to  be executed among Labor, VA, and the states. Table 1 summarizes the key  elements of the national agreement, the specific actions to which Labor  and VA agreed, and the level at which implementation generally would  occur.
Around the same time the national agreement was signed, VA rolled out  the Five-Track employment program aimed at standardizing rehabilitation  services for veterans with service-connected disabilities and providing a  greater focus on employment options early in the rehabilitation process.  The five employment tracks from which veterans can select are  reemployment with their previous employer, rapid access to employment  through job readiness preparation and training opportunities, self- employment, employment through long-term services that include  education programs and formal training leading to employment, and  independent living services for those who are currently unable to work  due to their disabilities. These tracks were available prior to the rollout,  but the program changed the way they were presented to veterans. The  Five-Track program was piloted in four regional offices starting in October  2004, and a national rollout began in November 2005. Figure 1 describes  the Five-Track model.
As part of the Five-Track program, VA established the employment  coordinator position and drew up plans to install job resource labs. The  position description for the employment coordinator contains duties  aimed at providing veterans with assistance preparing for and finding  employment. These duties include helping veterans make informed  choices about their employment track, assessing veterans’ readiness to  seek employment, and assisting veterans with job networking,  development, and placement. The position description also includes  responsibilities for marketing the VA program to employers and  developing partnerships with other agencies to assist veterans with  employment services. Also as part of the Five-Track program, VA allocated  funds for each location to install a job resource lab with computers,  Internet access, and other materials for veterans to use in their career  exploration and job search. VA made plans to have employment  coordinators in most of its 57 regions, and a job resource lab in each  regional office and in every satellite location.
Although the missions of Labor’s VETS and VA’s VRE programs to provide  employment assistance to disabled veterans are similar, the organizational  structure of each is somewhat different. VA administers its VRE programs  through regional offices—roughly one in each state, with multiple offices  in larger states—and its staff are federal employees. The regional offices  have some autonomy in deciding the operations of the office, including  their working relationships with the Labor programs and the state  workforce agency. Labor administers its programs through the Disabled  Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) and the Local Veterans’ Employment  Representative (LVER) program, which are funded by a grant from Labor  to the state workforce agencies. DVOP specialists and LVER staff are  employees of the state and are typically housed in state employment  service offices. Although there is evidence LVER staff and DVOP  specialists often perform similar duties, the DVOP specialist’s role was  designed to provide intensive services to veterans with employment  barriers, including those with disabilities, while the LVER staff role was  designed to market veterans to employers. Labor provides oversight and  monitoring of the state grants through a state VETS program director  (DVET) in each state.
The Labor and VA programs serve similar clientele, but there are  differences in eligibility requirements and the measure of successful  completion. To participate in VA’s VRE program, the veteran must have  disabilities that affect a minimum percentage of daily activities, as  determined by VA, and must have an employment handicap related to the  disability. In addition, there is a time limit for receiving services, generally  12 years following the date the veteran was discharged or separated from  the military or received a disability percentage rating from VA. The  primary outcome measured by VA’s VRE program is whether the veteran  obtained and maintained suitable employment, that is, work that is within  a veteran’s emotional and physical capabilities and consistent with the  veteran’s abilities, aptitudes, and interests. By contrast, any veteran who  was discharged because of a service-connected disability or who served  more than 180 days and was not dishonorably discharged can receive  services through Labor’s programs. The primary outcome measured by  Labor is whether or not the veteran entered employment, without  requiring determination of suitability.
VA and the state workforce agencies—including DVOP specialists and  LVER staff—work together on the local level. In many states, DVOP  specialists work with veterans who have completed their VA training to  help them find employment. The process by which these referrals are  made is not determined nationally; it is left up to VA regional officials to  develop local policies and procedures. In addition, some state workforce  agencies provide VA staff with state unemployment insurance wage data  to verify the employment status of their clients. Additionally, many VA  regional offices have a DVOP specialist colocated in the office at least part  of the time. However, cooperation between Labor and VA has historically  been better in some states than in others, reportedly in part because of  variation in the number and quality of services provided by DVOP  specialists. As a result, VA’s VRE Task Force concluded in its 2004 report  that VRE should consider using DVOP specialist services as one of many  options to help its clients, and not view the DVOP specialist as the sole  provider of employment services.
section_title: Labor and VA Have Implemented Some Elements of Their Agreement, but Data- Sharing Restrictions, Staffing Limitations, and Lack of a Comprehensive Plan Pose Challenges
paragraphs: Labor and VA have fulfilled some elements of their agreement to  coordinate efforts, but the agencies face a variety of challenges to fully  executing the agreement, including the lack of a comprehensive plan for  implementing the agreement and measuring progress. The national offices  of Labor and VA have implemented one of the elements of the agreement  for which they are responsible, have begun to address four elements, and  have not taken action on the others. All of the states we visited had taken  action to implement some of the elements of the national agreement, but  faced challenges implementing others due to state privacy laws, staffing  limitations, and other obstacles. In addition, Labor and VA lack a long- term plan for implementing the agreement that includes timelines and  benchmarks against which progress can be judged, as well as procedures  for dealing with states that are not carrying out activities in which they  have a role. Further, the agencies have provided states with limited  guidance on implementation. As of July 2007, the extent of nationwide  implementation was uncertain because the agencies had not thoroughly  reviewed the implementation of the agreement at the state level.
subsections: section_title: Labor and VA Have Established Joint Work Groups and Taken Some Steps toward Implementing Other Elements of Their Agreement
paragraphs: Labor and VA have fully implemented the element of their agreement that  calls for the establishment of joint work groups composed of staff from  both agencies. The agencies have formed three joint work groups to  address issues related to shared performance measures, staff training, and  joint data collection, with the goal of improving the quality of employment  services and suitable job placements for veterans with disabilities.  According to a Labor official, the implementation of the agencies’  agreement revolves around the efforts of these work groups. The work  groups met for the first time in April 2006, 6 months after the agreement  was signed. In January 2007, they conducted a survey of Labor and VA  field staff in 24 states to gather preliminary information about the working  relationship between the agencies at the local level and identify areas  needing improvement. On the basis of the survey results, the work groups  plan to launch a pilot project in eight regional offices in August or  September of 2007 to explore new strategies to improve the partnership  between Labor and VA. Labor and VA officials expect to complete the pilot  project in January 2008, and plan to make recommendations thereafter  regarding the implementation of these strategies nationwide, but the work  groups have not yet made definitive recommendations for program  changes.
Four of the elements that Labor and VA are responsible for  implementing—staff evaluations, yearly reporting, performance measures,  and monitoring of state-level memorandums of agreement—are in process  but not yet completed. The agreement between Labor and VA calls for  agency managers to consider the effectiveness of partnership activities  between VA and the state workforce agency when evaluating staff.  Although Labor has implemented such standards for state VETS program  directors, these provisions are not specifically outlined in the performance  standards for other VETS program staff or for VA staff. The agreement  also calls for the agencies to have yearly reports that include measures of  the number of VA program participants referred to the VETS program who  registered for state workforce agency services, the number of participants  who entered suitable employment, and the number of participants who  maintained suitable employment for 180 days or more. While the agencies  are collecting data on most of these measures, they are not currently  collecting data on the last measure. With regard to performance  measures, one of the joint work groups has started to develop new shared  measures to better assess partnership activities between the two agencies.  For example, one proposed measure is the percentage of veterans referred  from VA to VETS program DVOP specialists who receive an employment  services assessment within 30 days. In addition, the agreement calls for  the agencies to monitor common goals and measures within  memorandums of agreement executed at the state level and stipulates that  corrective action will be taken when such goals are not met. According to  information provided by VA, the agency obtained copies of state-level  agreements from all but one of its 57 regional offices in June 2007, but  officials have not yet reviewed the agreements for common goals and  measures.
Labor and VA have not yet acted on the other elements of their agreement  related to information sharing and management information systems. The  agreement calls for the agencies to share information about veterans,  including all information from interviews, counseling, testing, and  assessment. In addition, the agreement stipulates that the agencies will  develop and maintain management information systems that enable  accurate yearly reporting. Although Labor and VA officials told us they are  considering the possibility of establishing national data-sharing practices  and a joint management information system through which information  could be shared, no action has been taken on the national level.
section_title: The Five States We Visited Had Implemented Some Elements of the Agreement, but Faced Challenges to Full Implementation, Including Data Sharing and Staffing Issues
paragraphs: The 5 states we visited had all implemented a number of the elements of  the agreement between Labor and VA, including advising veterans of the  benefits of registering for state workforce agency services, establishing a  referral process, establishing state-level memorandums of agreement, and  appointing VETS points of contact for VA staff. All 5 states had processes  in place whereby VA advised program participants of the benefits of  registering for employment services with the state workforce agency. All  of the states we visited had also established a process for referring  veterans from VA to the state workforce agency for employment services,  although the process was not the same in every state. In addition, all 5  states we visited had a memorandum of agreement between the regional  VA office serving the state, the state VETS program director, and the state  workforce agency to coordinate their services for disabled veterans. All of  the states had recently revised their state agreement or were in the  process of doing so. All 5 states we visited had also appointed a VETS  program contact person for VA staff, and a national Labor official told us  that all 50 states have appointed such points of contact. Figure 2  summarizes the implementation of the elements of the agreement in the   5 states we visited.
All five states included key VA and state workforce agency staff in the  rehabilitation process, but not all states fully coordinated the Labor and  VA programs by involving DVOP specialists early in the process as  outlined in the agreement between Labor and VA. Typically, VA clients  seeking employment would meet with a VA counselor, VA employment  services staff, and a DVOP specialist from the state workforce agency.  However, the states varied in terms of the point at which the DVOP  specialist became involved. In three of the states we visited, DVOP  specialists provided assistance to veterans soon after they entered the VA  program, typically by presenting labor market information to veterans to  incorporate into their vocational rehabilitation plans. In the two other  states we visited, DVOP specialists did not typically meet with veterans  until they had neared the end of their VA training programs or were  otherwise prepared to seek employment. In one of these states, we were  told that this was due to negative past experiences in providing veterans  services from both VA and DVOP specialist staff at the same time.
The five states we visited were collecting data on all but one of the yearly  reporting measures outlined in the agreement between Labor and VA, and  staff identified challenges to implementing this remaining reporting  measure. In all five states, agency staff told us that they were gathering  data on the number of VA program participants referred to the VETS  program, and of those referred, the number who registered for state  workforce agency services and the number who entered suitable  employment. In these states, VA staff said that they tracked program  participants for 60 days after they obtained suitable employment, and we  learned that state workforce agencies tracked veterans for varying lengths  of time. However, none of the states were tracking the number of VA  program participants who maintained suitable employment for 180 days or  more. In four states, some agency staff told us that they would face  challenges implementing this additional reporting measure, and staff in  three states said that this was because following up with veterans for   180 days would likely require additional staff time and resources.
In four states, workforce agencies were able to share UI wage data with  VA, but in one state, they faced challenges sharing such data because of  state laws. UI wage data are managed by the states. According to VA  officials, if agency staff want to use this information—for example, to  verify that a client is employed—they need to obtain the data from the  state workforce agency. In Illinois, VA and the state workforce agency had  signed a shared data agreement that allowed the workforce agency to  provide VA with UI wage data. In Alabama, state workforce agency staff  told us that they had given VA staff direct access to their database, which  contained UI wage information. In California’s San Diego region, VA and  the state workforce agency had developed a centralized process in which  VA sent UI wage data requests to the state workforce agency headquarters.  And in South Dakota, workforce agency staff told us that they were able to  share UI wage data with VA, but said that they rarely received requests for  such data. However, in Michigan, we were told that they were unable to  share UI wage information because state law prevents the workforce  agency from sharing an individual’s wage data with VA.
Staffing limitations prevented some states from having a full-time  colocated DVOP specialist at the VA office, although most had at least  part-time coverage from an itinerant DVOP specialist. The agreement  states that to the extent feasible and appropriate, a DVOP specialist or  other designated individual will be colocated at the VA office or will  otherwise provide itinerant coverage to VA participants. Only one of the  five states we visited had a full-time colocated DVOP specialist at the VA  office. Three of the other states we visited had part-time colocated DVOP  specialists, but one state had no coverage at the VA office at the time of  our visit. VA staff in the states with a DVOP specialist on site part-time told  us that such an arrangement was useful, and staff in two states said that  they would like to increase the amount of colocation time per week.  However, officials in three states told us that funding constraints limited  the number of workforce agency staff and thus the workforce agency’s  ability to share a DVOP specialist with the VA office. National VA officials  also told us that fluctuating state budgets made it challenging for states to  commit to providing a colocated DVOP specialist from year to year.
None of the five states had fully implemented the information-sharing  element of the national agreement between Labor and VA, and staff in all  five states told us that some of this information sharing was unnecessary.  The agreement states that both agencies will share all information about  veterans gathered from interviews, counseling, testing, and assessment.  VA staff in the five states we visited told us that they did not regularly  share all of the information outlined in the agreement with the state  workforce agency, and staff in all states said that it is not necessary to  share all information about veterans in order to help them find  employment. In all five states, VA staff shared a standardized, but limited,  set of information with the state workforce agency when referring a  veteran for employment services. For example, in one state, VA staff told  us that this standardized set of information included the veteran’s contact  information, employment goal, and level of education, as well as general  information related to the veteran’s barriers to employment. However, VA  staff in all five states told us that they did not regularly share specific  information about veterans’ disabilities with state workforce agency staff,  and staff in two states said that this was a result of privacy concerns.
None of the five states we visited were using partnership activities  specifically to evaluate staff, as outlined in the agreement between Labor  and VA, and some officials said it would be impractical. In the three states  that had a centralized referral process and thus had minimal contact  between state workforce agency and VA staff, some local agency staff  stated that it did not make sense to evaluate staff on the effectiveness of  their partnership activities. In all five states, we were told that staff  evaluations contained a general category related to teamwork or  cooperation, but did not include specific performance measures to  evaluate DVOP specialists and VA staff on the effectiveness of their  partnership activities. In one state, workforce agency managers told us  that they were considering implementing specific performance measures  related to the effectiveness of partnership activities.
section_title: Labor and VA Have Not Developed a Comprehensive Plan to Guide Implementation, and Have Not Fully Assessed Data on Implementation
paragraphs: Labor and VA lack a comprehensive plan for implementing their  agreement, and have not set benchmarks or long-term time frames for  implementation. While Labor and VA have designed a pilot project, agency  officials have not developed a plan to guide the full implementation of the  agreement. Although the joint work groups have set short-term time  frames for the pilot project, and plan to make recommendations regarding  pilot project expansion in May 2008, the pilot project plan does not include  long-term time frames for the implementation of the agreement, and Labor  and VA officials told us that they considered implementation to be a work  in progress. In addition, the pilot project plan does not outline steps for  taking action when states do not implement the agreement.
It is unclear whether national VA and Labor officials have provided  sufficient direction to states on the implementation of the agreement. In  one state, workforce agency staff told us that guidance from national  officials on implementing the agreement was lacking. Both agencies sent  letters to regional and state officials notifying them of the agreement, but  have done very little to assist with implementation. A national VA official  told us he has discussed implementation in conference calls with VA  program managers and employment services staff, but a national Labor  official told us his agency has not done any follow-up. In addition, the  agreement calls for the agencies to take corrective action when common  goals outlined in state-level memorandums of agreement are not met.  However, both VA and Labor officials told us that they have not yet  defined steps for corrective action. Labor also told us that it does not have  much leverage to induce state workforce agencies to implement the  agreement given its limited authority over such agencies.
Further, as of July 2007, Labor and VA had not yet fully assessed state  actions to implement the agreement, so the extent to which the national  agreement has been implemented across all states was unclear. The  agencies collected some data on states’ activities in the January 2007  survey of agency field staff conducted by the joint work groups. VA  officials told us that the survey identified several areas for improved  collaboration between the agencies, including clarifying definitions of  terms, increasing staff training, and facilitating communication among  staff. However, the results cannot be used to understand the extent of  nationwide implementation because the survey only included about half of  the states and did not cover all aspects of the national agreement. In June  2007, VA conducted a second survey asking all of its 57 regional offices to  submit copies of their state-level memorandums of agreements to national  VA officials, and received these agreements from all but one regional  office. A VA official told us that the agency plans to review these  agreements to assess their alignment with the national agreement and  offer assistance to states that are having difficulties, but it had not done so  as of July 2007.
section_title: VA Has Mostly Implemented Its Five- Track Employment Program for Disabled Veterans, but the Types and Severity of Recent Veterans’ Disabilities May Pose Challenges
paragraphs: Although VA has almost fully implemented the Five-Track employment  program, the agency may face challenges serving the employment needs of  recently returning veterans because of the types and severity of their  disabilities. VA officials told us that they have fully implemented four of  the seven components of the Five-Track employment program and the  other three components are mostly complete. VA officials have noted that  many recently returning veterans have serious injuries and they anticipate  higher caseloads as increasing numbers of veterans apply for program  benefits. In response to these challenges, VA has taken some initial steps  to address the specific employment and training needs of these veterans,  and Labor has made similar efforts.
subsections: section_title: VA Has Implemented Most of Its Five-Track Employment Program for Disabled Veterans, but Some Components Are Still in Process
paragraphs: According to VA, officials have completed most of the seven components  needed to implement the Five-Track program. While four components  have been completed, three other components remain in process. Figure 3  shows the seven components of the Five-Track program and their  respective completion status.
VA officials told us that three of the initial components of the new Five- Track employment program—the national distribution of orientation  materials, the pilot study, and introductory staff training—have been fully  implemented. According to VA, officials have also completed the  distribution of Five-Track orientation materials nationally, including a new  video and a booklet that describes program eligibility requirements. VA  officials have also distributed information nationally on each of the five  tracks to employment—reemployment, rapid access to employment, self- employment, employment through long-term services, and independent  living services. In October 2004, VA officials began a pilot study in four  regional offices to test several proposed components of the Five-Track  program. At the pilot study’s completion in September 2005, VA issued a  status report based on the study results and made some changes to the  program before beginning the full launch a few months later. VA also  completed introductory training for VRE staff members nationwide on the  Five-Track program, between February and April of 2006. The VA staff  who received this national training were expected to return to their local  offices and train other staff on the program. According to VA, the training  included simulated case management exercises and a review of the  logistics and application of the new job resource labs.
VA has also hired and trained employment coordinators. This position was  developed to revamp the existing employment specialist position and  provide more direct assistance to veterans with job readiness and job-  seeking skills, as well as helping them with job placement. Training for  employment coordinators began in November 2005, and a few months  later, 52 employment specialists were reclassified as employment  coordinators. Since then, VA national officials have hired additional  employment coordinators, and as of April 2007 there were 74 employment  coordinators nationally. Qualifications for the employment coordinator  position include knowledge of marketing concepts, thorough knowledge  of the VRE program and its objectives, and diverse presentation skills. Of  the 6 employment coordinators we spoke with, 3 had prior experience  providing employment assistance to veterans, either as a DVOP specialist  or an employment specialist.
Information provided by VA shows that the agency has mostly completed  the implementation of 160 job resource labs. The job resource labs were  intended to be a supportive tool to help VA staff provide veterans with  employment resources and job readiness assistance. As of April 2007,   144 labs (90 percent) labs were operational, although some were utilizing  borrowed computers. Sixteen of the labs (10 percent) were further  postponed due to construction issues, lack of appropriate space, difficulty  securing Internet access, or complications obtaining computers. Before  providing funding, VA conducted a survey of its field offices to assess  existing resources. Then, between June and September 2006, VA provided  field offices funding to purchase noncomputer items such as furniture and  books. VA transferred $1.5 million to the VA Office of Information and  Technology for procurement of 359 computers, but there were delays in  obtaining them. VA officials told us the computers should be available in  summer 2007.
According to VA, officials have begun to implement a new employment  resource Web site and a program manual, but they are not yet completed.  VA launched the employment resource Web site, known as vetsuccess.gov,  in 2005 to be a new supportive tool for veterans and VA staff. Currently,  veterans may access the Web site via the Internet and can utilize the site to  view program videos, employment resources, employment search links,  and information about VA partner organizations. VA is planning to install  additional interactive features on the Web site, including a log-in option  that would allow veterans to post résumés and employers to search and  view them. However, a VA official told us the installation has been delayed  indefinitely until security concerns can be resolved. Additionally, as part  of the Five-Track program implementation, VA officials plan to distribute a  program manual to staff. However, a VA official told us the agency is  postponing the release of the manual until the employment Web site  features have been completed and can be included as part of the manual.
section_title: Agencies Have Taken Initial Steps to Address Challenges Posed by Employment Needs of Recent Veterans because of the Types and Severity of Their Disabilities
paragraphs: Officials in some states we visited raised concerns about the ability of  employment programs—including the Five-Track program—to address the  needs of severely disabled program participants returning from recent  conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to VA officials, many recently  returning veterans have multiple and severe disabilities, such as speech,  hearing, and visual impairments as well as loss of limbs and brain injuries,  and behavioral issues due to the stress of combat. Additionally, veterans  from recent conflicts are surviving with more of these serious injuries that  would have been fatal in past conflicts, a fact that can present major  challenges to providing training and securing appropriate job placements.  For example, VA officials in one state told us that from their experiences  assisting veterans with traumatic brain injuries, they have found that these  veterans may find it difficult to filter their thoughts and actions and may  act and speak inappropriately, making employment placement more  difficult. In addition, VA officials anticipate increased caseloads because  of expanded outreach efforts to veterans and service members separating  from the military, and increasing disability claims from veterans of recent  conflicts.
To address these challenges, VA told us that officials have developed  programs to provide additional resources for recently returning veterans  to receive employment services. VA officials have an early outreach  program, Coming Home to Work, to provide civilian work experience to  eligible service members pending medical separation from active duty at  military treatment facilities. VA has also designated a particular individual  in each VA regional office to coordinate vocational rehabilitation and  employment case services for recently returning service members located  in military treatment facilities.
According to VA, officials have also made training available to staff on the  specific disabilities that may be more prevalent among recently returning  veterans. The agency has developed training materials on traumatic brain  injuries, amputations, and transferable work skills, which an official told  us have been made available to VA counselors and employment  coordinators through VA internal satellite broadcasts and other means.  Additionally, VA plans to develop an online training curriculum that would  include training specific to the needs of recently returning veterans that  will be available to VA staff. In addition to training, a VA official told us the  agency used internal staff meetings and conference calls to address the  immediate concerns of VA staff related to recently returning veterans.
Labor has also taken some initial steps to address the challenges of serving  severely disabled Five-Track program participants returning from recent  conflicts, and we were told staff who work with these veterans have  access to VA training. Labor has a program, called Recovery and  Employment Assistance Lifelines (REALifelines), to provide individualized  job preparation, counseling, and reemployment services to veterans  seriously injured in recent conflicts. VETS program staff, including DVOP  specialists and LVER staff, can also access the National Veterans’ Training  Institute VETS NET online newsletter, which often includes links to  information on serving recently returning veterans. In addition, VA told us  that state VETS program directors have access to training materials  related to the needs of recently returning veterans such as traumatic brain  injuries and amputations. Similarly, VA told us that state workforce agency  staff will also have access to its planned online training curriculum,  including courses specific to the employment needs of recently returning  veterans. A list of selected VA and Labor initiatives related to addressing  the employment needs of recently returning veterans is in table 2.
section_title: While Employment Coordinators and Job Resource Labs in the Five States We Visited Provided Employment Assistance to Some Veterans, Similar Services Were Available Elsewhere
paragraphs: Employment coordinators and job resource labs in the five states we  visited provided employment services to veterans, but some of these  services were available elsewhere. Employment coordinators generally  provided direct employment services to veterans and performed job  development activities and outreach to employers and the community.  Despite the fact that the employment coordinator position description  outlines a variety of services to be provided to veterans across each VA  region, these activities were largely limited to their local areas. In addition,  employment coordinators performed some services that duplicated other  available resources. Although job resource labs afforded some additional  opportunities for VA staff to assist veterans with employment activities,  they generally were not used by many veterans. Job resource labs also  provided some resources that veterans were able to access elsewhere.
subsections: section_title: Employment Coordinators Performed Direct Services, Job Development, and Outreach in Their Local Areas and Duplicated Some Other Available Resources
paragraphs: The employment coordinators in the five states we visited provided some  direct assistance to veterans. The services to veterans included helping  with veteran employment plans, résumé preparation, interview  preparation, and job search activities. In addition, employment  coordinators with whom we spoke typically provided veterans and VA  counselors with labor market information, which generally included  average salary, to assist veterans in selecting potential career fields. Other  duties varied by state and included managing the referral process to DVOP  specialists, conducting follow-up with veterans after they have been  placed in employment, arranging for the distribution of a stipend given to  veterans during their employment search, and focusing on providing  services to veterans who were having difficulty finding employment. One  employment coordinator reported that she assisted employers with  making workplace accommodations for disabled veteran employees who  were participants in the VA program, while two others reported that they  had not had the opportunity to provide such accommodations. In one case,  the employment coordinator had carved out the specific role of assisting  veterans with federal job applications.
Most of the employment coordinators we met with also performed some  job development and outreach activities. These activities included  promotion of VA programs, developing partnerships with businesses and  other agencies, and marketing and providing VA employer incentives. For  example, an employment coordinator in one state we visited told us she  partners with other agencies to obtain employment leads for veterans and  another employment coordinator told us that he markets an incentive  program to employers through which VA pays half of the veteran’s salary  for the first 6 months of employment. Some employment coordinators also  told us they conduct presentations about VA at community events.
Employment coordinators in the five states we visited primarily provided  services to veterans in their local areas, even though VA originally  intended that they provide a variety of employment services across each  VA region. In the five states we visited, the employment coordinators  seldom traveled to offices outside their local area, and when some did,  they met with a much smaller number of veterans. VA staff in several  locations told us the lack of face-to-face contact with an employment  coordinator disadvantaged some veterans. For example, VA staff in one  office without an employment coordinator on-site found communication  via phone and e-mail to be less effective in providing employment services  to veterans than in-person interactions. Similarly, an employment  coordinator in another state told us that veterans outside her local area do  not receive the same level of services from her as those located in her  immediate area. VA acknowledged it was not aware of the extent to which  employment coordinators were able to work with veterans outside their  local areas. In addition, VA national officials acknowledged that the  current number of employment coordinators is not enough to provide a  full array of employment services to all program participants, as they had  originally intended when they wrote the position description. They told us  they tried to compensate for this deficiency by assigning employment  coordinators to offices in the most populous areas and expected that state  workforce agency staff would serve veterans in other locales. In one state,  the employment coordinator was stationed over 200 miles away from the  office we visited and was only able to provide services for 15 of the  approximately 300 veterans served in that office at the time of our  interview. The employment coordinator, VA counselors, and some  veterans in this state told us they considered local DVOP specialists to be  the primary employment services providers for program participants.
According to veterans and VA staff in the five states we visited,  employment coordinators provided some unique services to veterans in  their local areas, but other services were also available from alternative  sources. Employment coordinators provided some services that were not  available elsewhere, such as marketing VA employer incentives, promoting  the VA program through networking and ongoing contacts with employers,  distributing veterans’ employment search stipend, and assisting with  employer accommodations. However, according to veterans and VA staff  in the five states we visited, some of the direct services provided by  employment coordinators were similar to those offered by others. For  example, according to some VA staff and veterans, college career centers,  DVOP specialists, and VA contractors all provide veterans assistance with  résumé writing and interviewing techniques. Additionally, some veterans  and VA staff told us that both employment coordinators and state  workforce agency staff can assist veterans and VA counselors with labor  market information. Similarly, in two states we visited employment  coordinators were available to provide more services to veterans who  were having difficulty finding employment, while DVOP specialists were  also responsible for facilitating services for veterans with special  employment needs. One veteran told us he met with the employment  coordinator daily for assistance with résumé and interview preparation  and obtaining employment leads while also working with a DVOP  specialist weekly.
The outreach activities employment coordinators conducted were also  sometimes performed by others. In some states we visited, both  employment coordinators and DVOP specialists marketed to employers on  behalf of disabled veterans in the VA program by identifying employer  hiring contacts and obtaining information on job vacancies and hiring  prerequisites. Similarly, in some states employment coordinators and  DVOP specialists performed job development activities, such as fostering  partnerships through participation in job fairs and networking with local  businesses. VA staff in two states told us that state workforce agency staff  often performed job development and outreach activities. Although Labor  and VA national officials acknowledged some similarities between the  employment services performed by employment coordinators and those  available to program participants elsewhere, VA officials have not  collected information on the full extent of the duplication nationally. A  summary comparing the services provided by employment coordinators  and employment services available elsewhere in the states we visited is in  table 3.
section_title: Job Resource Labs Provided Additional Opportunities to Assist Veterans, but They Appeared to Play a Minor Role and Duplicated Resources Available Elsewhere
paragraphs: Job resource labs provided equipment and materials that VA staff used to  assist veterans with employment-related activities, but the labs were not  typically staffed throughout the day. All of the labs in the five states we  visited were equipped with computers that had Internet access, desks,  printers, and employment resource libraries. The number of computers  available for veterans’ use in the labs ranged from one to four. All of the  labs also had at least three additional resources such as copiers, fax  machines, informational pamphlets, job postings, and televisions and DVD  players located directly in the lab or available for use elsewhere in the  office. According to the veterans and VA staff in the five states we visited,  the job resource labs were used primarily to conduct Five-Track program  orientation and to allow for veterans to engage individually in career  exploration activities. In three of the states we visited, the labs were also  used as a meeting space, for example, to host workshops and veteran  employment networking groups. The labs sometimes also served as an  office for the part-time colocated DVOP specialist or as an extra space to  conduct activities such as mock interviews. We were told VA staff were  available to assist veterans as needed, but only one of the labs we visited  was staffed throughout the day. Although some veterans were able to use  the labs with minimal guidance, others told us they needed the assistance  provided by VA staff when they were first introduced to the labs. Figure 4  shows photographs of a sample of the job resource labs we visited.
Veterans in the five states we visited did not typically use the labs for any  activities other than those that were part of the program orientation. VA  staff in the five states we visited told us the labs were not used by many  veterans. Four of the labs we visited tracked usage informally, and a  month of data from these labs showed as many as 34 veterans using one  lab and as few as 3 using another. Additionally, none of the veterans we  spoke with used the labs regularly or more than a few times during the  program. For example, 1 veteran said he only used the lab to occasionally  look at his grades online and another veteran used printed resources in the  lab once to prepare for an interview. Some of the low levels of usage may  be explained by factors associated with the lab. In two of the states we  visited, the labs had only been operational for 2 months or less. In three  other sites, VA staff lamented that the labs were housed in buildings that  were not conveniently located or required security searches to enter.  While VA officials told us they plan to assess the usage and effectiveness  of the job resource labs nationally, they have not done so yet because they  are waiting for all labs to have permanent computers.
Veterans and VA officials told us that program participants have access to  equipment and materials similar to those in the job resource labs at other  locations. In the five states we visited, job resource labs provided veterans  with some additional VA services, for example, one-on-one computer  assistance from VA staff and the opportunity to network with other VA  participants. However, according to veterans and VA counselors with  whom we spoke, veterans typically had computer and Internet access  available at home, school, the public library, or the local one-stop career  center. Similarly, one veteran told us he used printed materials found in  the job resource labs, such as résumé and interviewing technique books, at  his local one-stop career center. While some veterans and veteran service  organization representatives we spoke with found that having access to  resources at multiple locations allows veterans more flexibility, some also  told us the labs were duplicative of most of the basic resources available  at local one-stops, such as computers, printers, faxes, printed materials,  job postings, and brochures.
section_title: Conclusions
paragraphs: VA staff and their counterparts in Labor are charged with the  responsibility of helping veterans achieve the best possible employment  outcomes—each in their own capacity but also in cooperation with each  other. Given their similar missions and clientele, and to ensure the  seamless delivery of services and efficient use of resources, it is critical  that these agencies work together effectively. The October 2005 agreement  between Labor and VA stated that both parties commit themselves to  active cooperation and coordination in meeting the goals of the  agreement. However, without additional efforts—developing a  comprehensive plan that outlines long-range time frames and benchmarks  for its implementation, thoroughly reviewing implementation at the state  level, providing guidance to states, and outlining plans for taking action if  states do not implement the agreement—it is difficult to determine the  extent to which the agreement has been implemented or what, if any,  progress has been made toward its goals. In addition, VA officials were not  fully aware of how the employment coordinator position was serving  veterans outside of the employment coordinator’s local area. As a result,  VA may not be providing all veterans in a regional office’s jurisdiction with  equal access to the full array of services from an employment coordinator.  Furthermore, Labor and VA have not collected systematic information on  employment coordinators and job resource labs to help eliminate all  duplication in the delivery of needed employment services and provide a  seamless employment transition. Without this information, there may be  unnecessary duplication of services, which is not in keeping with the  agreement. Finally, VA has not examined the usage or effectiveness of the  job resource labs nationwide, and as a result, VA may end up spending  money to sustain a resource that few veterans are using.
section_title: Recommendations for Executive Action
paragraphs: To ensure the complete and timely implementation of the agreement, we  recommend that the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Veterans  Affairs direct VETS and VRE to take the following actions:    develop a written plan for the full implementation of the agreement  that includes long-term time frames, benchmarks by which to track  implementation at the state level, and plans for taking action in  instances when states are not fully implementing the agreement;    provide additional direction to the states on implementing the  agreement, including examples of promising practices from states,  such as strategies for sharing information;    provide technical assistance to states that are facing difficulties  implementing the agreement; and    collect and assess complete information on the progress of the states in  implementing the agreement using well-designed and appropriate  methodology, such as a systematic review of state-level memorandums  of agreements or a comprehensive survey of all locations.
To ensure the employment coordinator role is being used in the most  effective and efficient way possible without duplication of other available  services, we recommend that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in  consultation with the Secretary of Labor, direct VRE to take the following  actions:    determine how best to use the employment coordinator in serving  veterans located outside the employment coordinator’s local area;    undertake additional efforts to review how the employment  coordinator role has been carried out at the regional level, especially  vis-à-vis staff of other workforce agencies;    determine how this position could best be used in light of other  services available to VA program participants; and    modify the national employment coordinator position description  accordingly.
To ensure that resources spent on job resource labs are used efficiently  and effectively, we recommend that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs  direct VRE to undertake additional efforts to:  review the number of veterans using the job resource labs and ways in  which veterans are using them;    assess and offer regional offices direction on how the labs could be    determine whether there are additional opportunities to coordinate  with other agencies and organizations, such as local one-stop career  centers.
section_title: Agency Comments and Our Evaluation
paragraphs: We provided a draft of this report to Labor and VA for their review and  comments. In their comments, the agencies agreed with our  recommendations. The agencies said they would work together to develop  a plan to fully implement the agreement that focuses on time frames and  benchmarks and would implement a systematic review of state-level  agreements. Both agencies also said they will continue to develop joint  training for improving the coordination and delivery of employment  services for veterans with disabilities. In an effort to provide technical  assistance to states that are facing difficulties implementing the  agreement, Labor said it would review possible ways of providing VA  confirmation that a client is employed without actually providing personal  wage data. In addition, VA said it will continue to evaluate the  effectiveness of the employment coordinator position and develop  methodology to assess how the job resource labs are used. The  Department of Labor’s comments are in appendix II and VA’s comments  are in appendix III.
We will send copies of this report to the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary  of Veterans Affairs, other relevant congressional committees, and other  interested parties and will make copies available to others upon request.  In addition, the report will be available at no charge on GAO’s Web site at  http://www.gao.gov.
A list of related GAO products is included at the end of this report. If you  or your staff have any questions about this report, please contact me at  (202) 512-7215. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations  and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. Staff  acknowledgments are listed in appendix IV.
section_title: Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology
paragraphs: Our overall research objectives were to describe the status of the  implementation of the October 2005 memorandum of agreement between  the Department of Labor (Labor) and the Department of Veterans Affairs  (VA) aimed at coordinating efforts to advance the employment  opportunities for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and to  describe the status of the implementation of VA’s Five-Track employment  program, with a particular emphasis on the role of employment  coordinators and job resource labs. To address these objectives, we  conducted interviews with national Labor and VA officials and national  representatives of veterans’ service organizations. We also visited five  states, where we met with Labor, VA, and the state workforce agency  officials and staff, and toured job resource labs and one-stop career  centers. During our site visits, we spoke with veterans who were past or  current participants in VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment  services (VRE) and local representatives of veterans’ service  organizations. In addition, VA provided us with information on the number  of job resource labs that were completed, the number still in process, and  the reasons for the delays. Finally, we reviewed prior GAO reports and  other relevant documentation. We conducted our work from November  2006 to September 2007 in accordance with generally accepted  government auditing standards.
subsections: section_title: Interviews with National Labor and VA Officials
paragraphs: We interviewed national Labor and VA officials to determine the status of  implementation of the agreement, in particular, time frames for  completion and any challenges to implementation. With VA officials, we  also discussed the status of the implementation of the Five-Track program,  including any implementation challenges that remain, and the roles of  employment coordinators and job resource labs in the employment and  training of disabled veterans.
section_title: Site Visits
paragraphs: We conducted site visits in five states—Michigan, Alabama, Illinois, South  Dakota, and California. California is divided into three VA regions; we  visited only the San Diego region. We selected a mix of states based on the  following criteria: (1) dispersion across the four VRE geographic areas  (Eastern, Southern, Central, and Western), (2) both pilot and nonpilot sites  for the Five-Track program, and (3) states with large and small veteran  populations. Table 4 lists our selected site visit locations and summarizes  these selection criteria for each state. In making our selections, we also  factored in the states’ reputation for coordination between Labor and VA  at the state and local levels, which we determined based on input from  national Labor and VA officials and other sources.
In each state, we met with VA regional office staff and officials from Labor  and the state workforce agency. At VA regional offices, we spoke with VA  counselors, employment coordinators, and regional office management.  We also toured the job resource labs. In each state, we also spoke with  either the state VETS program director or assistant director assigned to  the region. In addition, we met with staff and officials from the state  workforce agency, including Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program  specialists. We visited one-stop career centers in four states and met with  local office managers in three of these. In some cases, we followed up on  our interviews by phone, e-mail, or in person to collect additional  information.
In two of the states, we visited locations that have satellite offices of the  VA regional office. In California, we visited Anaheim, which is a satellite  location of the San Diego VA regional office. There, we met with the VA  vocational rehabilitation counselor and state workforce agency local  office management and staff. We also observed the job resource lab. We  chose Anaheim based on its proximity to San Diego, which was one of our  site visit locations. In Alabama, we interviewed VA and state workforce  agency staff in Huntsville, a satellite location of the Montgomery VA  regional office, and also visited the job resource lab. We selected  Huntsville based on the recommendation of a Montgomery VA official and  its proximity to a GAO field office.
section_title: Interviews with Veterans and Veterans’ Service Organizations
paragraphs: To gain additional perspectives on the implementation of the agreement  and the Five-Track program, on each of our site visits, we met with  veterans who were currently participating in the Five-Track program or  who had recently completed training through VA’s Vocational  Rehabilitation and Employment program. We also spoke with local  representatives of veterans’ service organizations. In addition, we  conducted phone interviews with representatives of a number of veterans’  service organizations who are based in the Washington, D.C. area.
section_title: Status of Job Resource Lab Implementation
paragraphs: VA provided us with a list of the job resource labs and the status of their  implementation. From this list, we calculated the total number of labs, the  number of labs that were completed, and those that were still in process.  We also categorized and sorted the reasons for delays in implementing the  labs that were not yet complete. We assessed the reliability of the VA data  and determined it was suitable for the purposes of this report. The  information provided by VA was current as of May 2007.
section_title: Appendix II: Comments from the Department of Labor
section_title: Appendix III: Comments from the Department of Veterans Affairs
section_title: Appendix IV: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments
subsections: section_title: Staff Acknowledgments
paragraphs: Sigurd R. Nilsen, Director  Heather Hahn and Kathryn Larin, Assistant Directors  Caitlin Croake and Amber Yancey-Carroll also made significant  contributions to this report in all facets of the work. In addition,   Walter Vance assisted in the review of external data and in developing site  visit selection criteria; Elizabeth Curda and Gregory Whitney lent subject  matter expertise; Doreen Feldman and Jessica Botsford provided legal  support; Letisha Jenkins and John Ortiz assisted with data collection; and  Charles Willson provided writing assistance.
section_title: Related GAO Products
paragraphs: Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Labor Could Improve  Information on Reemployment Services, Outcomes, and Program  Impact. GAO-07-594. Washington, D.C.: May 24, 2007.
Trade Adjustment Assistance: Labor Should Take Action to Ensure  Performance Data Are Complete, Accurate, and Accessible. GAO-06-496.  Washington, D.C.: April 25, 2006.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Greater Accountability  and Other Labor Actions Needed to Better Serve Veterans. GAO-06-357T.  Washington, D.C.: February 2, 2006.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Labor Actions Needed to  Improve Accountability and Help States Implement Reforms to Veterans’  Employment Services. GAO-06-176. Washington, D.C.: December 30, 2005.
Workforce Investment Act: Labor and States Have Taken Actions to  Improve Data Quality, but Additional Steps Are Needed. GAO-06-82.  Washington, D.C.: November 14, 2005.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Preliminary Observations  on Changes to Veterans’ Employment Programs. GAO-05-662T.  Washington, D.C.: May 12, 2005.
Workforce Investment Act: States and Local Areas Have Developed  Strategies to Assess Performance, but Labor Could Do More to Help.  GAO-04-657. Washington, D.C.: June 1, 2004.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Flexibility and  Accountability Needed to Improve Service to Veterans. GAO-01-928.  Washington, D.C.: September 12, 2001.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Proposed Performance  Measurement System Improved, but Further Changes Needed.   GAO-01-580. Washington, D.C.: May 15, 2001.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Strategic and Performance  Plans Lack Vision and Clarity. GAO/T-HEHS-99-177. Washington, D.C.:  July 29, 1999.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service: Assessment of the Fiscal  Year 1999 Performance Plan. GAO/HEHS-98-240R. Washington, D.C.:  September 30, 1998.
Veterans’ Employment and Training: Services Provided by Labor  Department Programs. GAO/HEHS-98-7. Washington, D.C.:   October 17, 1997.
Vocational Rehabilitation: Better VA Management Needed to Help  Disabled Veterans Find Jobs. GAO/HRD-92-100. Washington, D.C.:  September 4, 1992.