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The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, or VETS, published final regulations on priority hiring of veterans and eligible spouses. The new rules appeared in the December 19 Federal Register.

VETS is a division of the U.S. Department of Labor.

The new regulations apply to “any workforce preparation, development or delivery program or service that is directly funded, in whole or in part, by the [U.S.] Department of Labor” as provided by the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002.

This is especially important since most state departments of labor are funded at least in part by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

“Priority of service is an important acknowledgment of the sacrifices of the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces,” said Charles Ciccolella, assistant secretary of labor for VETS. “The department’s strategic vision for priority of service honors veterans and eligible spouses of veterans as our heroes at home, and envisions that the employment and training programs funded by the department, including the workforce investment system, will identify, inform and deliver comprehensive services to veterans and eligible spouses as part of their strategic workforce development activities across the country.”

According to experts at the U.S. Department of Labor, The Veterans’ Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 followed up on the (more…)

 Employers are invited to comment on new regulations by the U. S. Department of Labor regarding the employment of veterans by federal contractors.

The federal Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) recently announced the publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Priority of Service for veterans and eligible spouses. The proposed regulations apply to “any workforce preparation, development or delivery program or service that is directly funded, in whole or in part, by the Department of Labor,” as provided by the Jobs for Veterans Act which was enacted in 2002. (more…)

Employers should be aware of two new required US Department of Labor initiatives to promote the hiring of veterans and protect the rights of applicants with disabilities.

Both initiatives were introduced through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or OFCCP. This agency enforces regulations that apply to companies with federal contracts in excess of $50,000.

The Good Faith Initiative for Veterans Employment, also known as G-FIVE will help (more…)

 “This Memorial Day, I want to take the opportunity to highlight the steadfast commitment of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to protecting the rights of America’s service members, who have made invaluable sacrifices for this nation,” says Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the US Department of Justice or DOJ.

The Civil Rights Division of the DOJ protects the rights of service men and women by vigorously enforcing a number of laws designed to protect them and their families. Those include the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 or USERRA. The right to vote while serving in the armed services is protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act or UOCAVA.  Financial security is protected by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 or SCRA. In addition, the rights of veterans in public institutions are protected by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act or CRIPA.

Memorial Day is a great time for every employer to review their company’s compliance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act or USERRA.

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