Vocational Rehabilitation Helps Veterans Get Jobs

August 27, 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers programs in vocational rehabilitation. Otherwise known as Voc Rehab and Chapter 31 benefits, the program is designed to work with veterans suffering from service-related disabilities. Ideally, veterans going through the program will receive help:

• Becoming properly employed;
• Maintaining employment; or
• Living independently.

The Voc Rehab program provides many services and opportunities to disabled veterans to help them reach their employment goals. Generally the services will last 48 months, and in some circumstances can be extended. Offered services include:

• Vocational and personal counseling;
• Education and training;
• Financial aid;
• Job assistance; and possibly
• Medical and dental treatment.

Not every veteran qualifies for the Voc Rehab program. To be eligible, the veteran must be receiving VA disability compensation. It is also possible disabled soldiers awaiting discharge can qualify, although these will be very isolated situations. With a few exceptions, the following must also be met to establish eligibility:

• Active duty service on or after Sept. 16, 1940, with any discharge except dishonorable; and
• A VA service-related disability rating of 20%; and
• The need for Vocational Rehabilitation to overcome an employment handicap; and
• Less than 12 years have lapsed since the VA awarded the service-related disability.

Once the veteran enters the program, the veteran is assigned a counselor with whom the veteran will work with to establish the best job path for the veteran. Together they will develop a personalized Rehabilitation Plan detailing the most appropriate Voc Rehab services the veteran will utilize.

Should more training or education be necessary, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will pay the vast majority of the costs, if not all of them. Additionally, the veteran is given a monthly stipend to help with living expenses. The program is very beneficial to those qualifying and very necessary; the more veterans working, the better.