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Government Tackling Veteran Unemployment

Veterans separating from the military and attempting to find work in the private sector are running into walls. This, in turn, tends to feed into other problems returning veterans are facing, which includes veterans disability issues. Because the unemployment rate among veterans is so much higher than the general population, the government has launched multiple new initiatives in an attempt to help deserving veterans.

Jeff Miller (R-Fla) recently introduced the Veterans Opportunity To Work Act (VOW) into the house. Should this act pass, it will mandate attendance in transition assistance program (TAP) from every person separating from the active duty military. According to Miller, these programs teach veterans how to translate their military skills into those attractive to civilian employers. These programs will help veterans compete in a market not necessarily favorable to their situation.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Department of Labor Veterans and Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS), and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) work together to host Hiring Our Heroes, which is a chain of 100 career fairs across the country.

Along the same lines, veterans can use Milicruit, an "online career fair" allowing veterans and their spouses to connect with "military-friendly employers" while the veteran is still in service. This is a very effective tool for placing wounded soldiers on the same page as non-wounded soldiers as far as being able to contact potential employers. The Milicruit website is available 24-hours, 7 days, and posts schedules of when specific employers will be online and interviewing.

The key to lowering the veteran unemployment rate is utilizing multiple programs at the same time. Multiple agencies working together have a much better chance of making changes than by working on their own.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.