U.S. Department of Labor Blog
The Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service is committed to enabling all veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses to reach their full potential in the workplace. In 2022, working with our partners, we served more than 430,000 customers. Here are just a few of our many accomplishments throughout the year.
VETS’ Transition Assistance Program served over 270,000 participants across TAP program areas. VETS-funded contractors led employment training face-to-face and virtual workshops at 200 military installations across the globe. The Employment Navigator and Partnership Program Pilot also served participants at 22 military installations around the world. We implemented Off-Base Transition Training, as directed in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, to provide TAP training to veterans and their spouses at locations other than active-duty military installations. More than 1,500 veterans and their spouses completed the off-base transition training workshops in California, Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, and we plan to expand it to at least 20 states and 50 locations over the next five years.
Over 145,000 veterans were served by nearly 2,300 American Job Centers nationwide.
Our Jobs for Veterans State Grants’ Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists provided intensive services to 43,520 veterans with significant barriers to employment and Local Veteran Employment Representatives conducted employer outreach activities. VETS completed a data integrity analysis in April, which identified inconsistencies which will help us refine processes to ensure greater equity and inclusion in our programs. The Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program provided funding to 160 grantees who helped nearly 17,000 veterans who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Our investigators conducted 970 Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act investigations across the U.S. – 238 of which were determined to have merit. Our investigators resolved 87% of the merit cases to the satisfaction of the claimant and the employer. We supported 1,030 compliance assistance events with employers and claimants and initiated an electronic case management system to streamline the process. We also reconstructed the USERRA Basic Investigator Training Course to increase VETS’ senior investigative program staff and solicitor’s participation as course instructors to leverage their experience by having them teach substantive portions of the course, contributing to a 2% annual increase in the resolution rate of USERRA cases in which VETS investigators found violations.
We continue to administer the HIRE Vets Medallion Program on behalf of the Secretary of Labor.
This year, we recognized 835 employers from around the nation for their commitment to hiring and retaining U.S. military veterans. The HIRE Vets Medallion is the only federal-level veterans’ employment award and is presented annually to employers who meet specific criteria. Since 2018, more than 1,650 employers have earned a HIRE Vets Medallion Award. The 2023 HIRE Vets Medallion Award application period opens Jan. 31, 2023.
Veteran unemployment rates are at historic lows in 2022 and we are on track for an annual rate of under 3%. As we close out this year and move into 2023, we will continue to use innovative methods to improve our programs to better support our veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses in their search for meaningful employment. Learn more about our work at dol.gov/vets.
James D. Rodriguez is the assistant secretary for the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service at the U.S. Department of Labor. Follow VETS on Twitter at @VETS_DOL and on LinkedIn.