Employment Services for Veterans,
What you Need to Know.
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Veteran Population
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Veteran Population
• 250,000 military
personnel return to
civilian life each year.
• The Unemployment
rate for the population
is estimated to be 7.6%
• This current
unemployment rate for
the general population
is 7.9%
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Veterans and Disability
• The unemployment rate for veterans with
disabilities is over 41%
• 5.5 million veterans have a diagnosed
disability
• The actual unemployment rate for disabled
vets is believed to be far higher. Many live on
disability payments and don't seek
employment, and so they are not counted in
jobs numbers.
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Veterans and Disability
• The signature disabilities of returning veterans
from recent engagements in Iraq and
Afghanistan are:
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Traumatic Brian Injury, and/or
• depression
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• As many as 30% of individuals returning from
current conflicts may have PTSD (Rand Study)
• Symptoms can be varying and subtle
• Individuals with PTSD are 2x more likely to
engage in criminal misbehavior
• Individuals are 2-3x more likely to engage in
domestic abuse
• 50% do not seek treatment
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• PTSD
Considerations for Work
Memory and Concentration
Poor Time Management Skills
Disorganization
Difficulty coping with Stress
Difficulty interacting with coworkers
Fatigue
Frequent absenteeism
Panic Attacks
Sleep Disturbance
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Traumatic Brain Injury
• The 2008 Rand Study suggests that 19% of
returning veterans have experienced brain
injury
• Brain Injury can be mild concussion to
penetrating head wounds.
• 80% of reported military TBI are concussive
brain injury as the result of IED explosions.
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TBI
Considerations for Work
Memory or concentration
problems
Headache
Dizziness or loss of balance
Nausea or vomiting
Sensory problems, such as
blurred vision, ringing in the
ears or a bad taste in the
mouth
Sensitivity to light or sound
Mood changes or mood
swings
Feeling depressed or anxious
Fatigue or drowsiness
Difficulty sleeping
Sleeping more than usual
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Mental Health and Veterans
• As many as 50% of returning veterans experience
depression
• Most veterans do not seek treatment for Mental
Health issues because of the stigma associated with
treatment or fear of being diagnosed with a mental
illness.
• Untreated mental health conditions can lead to other
debilitating problems including high rates of
unemployment, homelessness, substance abuse,
divorce, child abuse and suicide.
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Finding the Right Job
• 80% of military occupations have a civilian analog
• For those jobs that do not, the employment specialist should
take time to discover the component tasks and skills that are
of value to an employer.
• O*Net can help translate military experience into civilian
equivalents
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Finding the Right Job
Be aware of the cultural differences between military and civilian cultures.
Military Workplace Culture
• Defined Hierarchy
• Promotion is clearly defined
• Emphasis on Camaraderie
and collaboration for the
benefit of the group
Civilian Workplace Culture
• Civilian workplace is often
ambiguous
• Chain of command is often
vague or confusing
• Multiple career paths
• Emphasis on individual
accomplishment.
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Finding the Right Job
Employer Motivation
• Patriotism vs. Return on Investment
• Focus on Training, work ethic, goal oriented
results
• Don’t focus only on military training.
– Personality
– Interests
– Personal Goals
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Veteran Employment Programs
• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. USERRA.
USERRA protects the job rights of individuals who leave employment for
military service. USERRA ensures that persons who serve or have served
in the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other uniformed
services:
• Are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers because of their service;
• Are promptly reemployed in their civilian jobs upon their return from
duty;
• Are not discriminated against in employment based on past, present, or
future military service.
.
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USERRA
• USERRA protects the job rights of individuals who voluntarily or
involuntarily leave employment positions to perform service in the
uniformed service;
• USERRA affects employment, reemployment and retention in
employment, when employees serve in the uniformed services. USERRA
also prohibits employers from discriminating against past and present
members of the uniformed services, and applicants to the uniformed
services.
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USERRA
Eligibility:
• must hold or have applied for a civilian job.
• must have given written or verbal notice to the civilian employer prior to
leaving the job for military training or service except when precluded by
military necessity.
• must not have exceeded the 5-year cumulative limit on periods of service.
• must have been released from service under conditions other than
dishonorable.
• must report back to the civilian job in a timely manner or submit a timely
application for reemployment.
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Veterans Benefits
Service Connected Pension
Non-Service Connected Pension
• Disability compensation benefit
paid to a veteran due to injuries
or diseases occurring while on
active duty, or made worse by
active military service. It is also
paid to certain veterans disabled
from VA health care. The benefits
are tax-free.
•
Pension paid to wartime
veterans who have limited or no
income and are age 65 or older or
who are permanently and totally
disabled. The disability does not have
to be "service connected". This is
needs based program based on
limited income. VA provides
a Disability Benefits Pension Rate
Table based on countable family
income which is set yearly by
Congress.
• This is a Means tested
program
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How Work Affects Benefits
•
•
The Disability Pension program is means-tested and earned income from
employment impacts a veteran’s eligibility as well as the amount of payment due
each month.
The VA will consider all income from sources such as:
– wages, salaries, earnings, bonuses, income from a business or profession or from investments
or rents as well as the fair value of personal services, goods or room and board received in lieu
thereof will be included.
– salary is not determined by “gross pay” before any deductions made under a retirement act or
plan and amounts withheld by virtue of income tax laws.
•
In the case of self-employment, the gross income from a business or profession
may be reduced by the necessary operating expenses, such as cost of goods sold,
or expenditures for rent, taxes, and upkeep. Depreciation is not a deductible
expense. The cost of repairs or replacement may be deducted. The value of an
increase in stock inventory of a business is not considered income. A loss sustained
in operating a business, profession, or farm or from investments may not be
deducted from income derived from any other source.
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How Work Affects Benefits
• Disability Pension is reduced dollar for dollar
by any income that is deemed countable
under the VA rules.
• Veterans receiving Disability Pension are
required to report all income to the VA.
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How Work Affects Benefits
• Service Connected benefits are not means-tested so
they are not affected by income or resources.
• Neither wages nor net income from self-employment
affects Disability Compensation payments in the sense
that in and of themselves they would cause a reduction
or “offset” in the VA payment amount.
• Other forms of income (not related to employment)
and assets are also not taken into consideration by the
Disability Compensation program and have no impact
on benefit eligibility or amount of monthly payment.
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Veterans Benefits
VA Benefits
SSDI
• Degrees of Disability
• Only considers service connected
disability
• Total file review, no deference
given to 1 opinion
• Disability rating of 70% or higher
can help in getting SSDI
• Gives little weight to SSA
disability ruling (VA does have a
duty to review SSA file in
determination)
• All or Nothing Criteria
• Treating physician rule (deference
is given to the opinion of the
individuals treating physician)
• Considers all impairments and
gives great weight to the
disability ruling of the VA
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Veterans Benefits
• Most veterans receiving Disability Compensation (Service
connected disability) can work and have no prohibitions on
obtaining and/or maintaining employment.
• Only those who receive a higher rating because they are
considered “Unemployable” would run into problems by
working.
Veterans receiving Non-Service Connected Pension can also
work part-time so long as their income does not exceed the
income cap for the program. If they are capable of working
full-time, they would not meet the 100% disabled
requirement for this benefit.
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Income Limits for Non-Service
Connected Pension
•
•
•
•
•
Veteran with no dependents $12,256
Veteran with a spouse or a child $16,051
Housebound veteran with no dependents $14,978
Housebound veteran with one dependent $18,773
Veteran who needs aid and attendant care and you
have no dependents
• $20,447
• Veteran who needs aid and attendant care (A/A) and
you have one dependent $24,239
• Two Vets Married to Each Other$16,051
• Add for Each Additional Child to any category above$2,093
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Disability Re-determination
Exemptions
• When the disability is established as static;
• When the findings and symptoms are shown by examinations and
hospital reports to have persisted without material improvement
for a period of 5 years or more;
• Where the disability from disease is permanent in character and of
such nature that there is no likelihood of improvement;
• In cases of veterans over 55 years of age, except under unusual
circumstances;
• When the rating is a prescribed scheduled minimum rating; or
• Where a combined disability evaluation would not be affected if the
future examination should result in reduced evaluation for one or
more conditions.
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Veteran Employment Programs
• HVSEP. The Homeless Veterans Supported Employment Program
is a VA Program providing rapid job development services for
Veterans. This project is part of the VA’s goal to end
homelessness in the Veteran population by 2015. This is a time
limited program scheduled to end in September 2014.
•
•
•
•
Eligible for VHA services. (1 of 7 different projects)
Be interested in obtaining immediate competitive employment.
Sporadic work history
Unable to obtain or maintain employment long term on your
own
• Short term supports
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Veteran Employment Programs
• Compensated Work Therapy/Supported Employment. CWT/SE.
Offers job placement to veterans with on going support services
and employer consultation .
• Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Employment. CWT/TE.
Pre-employment vocational assessment program for Veterans.
–
–
–
–
Vocational assessments
pre-screening to match veterans to the specific job requirements.
Three to six month time limited
CWT/TWE functions like a temp-to-hire labor service so the expectations
of veteran workers is the same as that of other non-CWT workers in the
company
– Employers do not pay benefits
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Veteran Employment Programs
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program. VR&E. Assists
veterans with service connected disabilities to prepare for find and keep
jobs.
– Comprehensive rehabilitation evaluation to determine abilities, skills, and interests for
employment
– Vocational counseling and rehabilitation planning for employment services
– Employment services such as job-training, job-seeking skills, resume development, and
other work readiness assistance
– Assistance finding and keeping a job, including the use of special employer incentives
and job accommodations
– On the Job Training (OJT), apprenticeships, and non-paid work experiences (50% wages
for 6 months)
– Post-secondary training at a college, vocational, technical or business school
– Supportive rehabilitation services including case management, counseling, and medical
referrals
– Independent living services for Veterans unable to work due to the severity of their
disabilities
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Veteran Employment Programs
• Veterans Retraining Assistance Program. VRAP. VRAP is an education and
retraining program:
• Eligibility:
–
–
–
–
Are at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
Are unemployed on the date of application
Received an other than dishonorable discharge
Are not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI
Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
– Are not in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
– Are not enrolled in a federal or state job training program
• VRAP will provide training for programs of education that lead to a high
demand occupation, as determined by the Department of Labor.
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Tax Credits for Veterans
• On January 1, 2013, Congress extended the Returning Heroes and
Wounded Warrior Tax Credits through December 31, 2013.
• The Returning Heroes Tax Credit provides incentives of up to
$5,600 for hiring unemployed veterans
– Short-term Unemployed: A new credit of 40% of the first $6,000 of
wages (up to $2,400) for employers who hire veterans who have been
in receipt of unemployment insurance or compensation for at least 4
weeks.
– Long-term Unemployed: A new credit of 40% of the first $14,000 of
wages (up to $5,600) for employers who hire veterans who have been
in receipt of unemployment insurance or compensation for longer
than 6 months.
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Tax Credits
• Wounded Warriors Tax Credit doubles the existing Work
Opportunity Tax Credit for long-term unemployed veterans with
service-connected disabilities, to up to $9,600.
– Veterans with Services-Connected Disabilities: Maintains the existing
Work Opportunity Tax Credit for veterans with service-connected
disabilities hired within one year of being discharged from the military.
The credit is 40% of the first $12,000 of wages (up to $4,800).
– Long-Term Unemployed Veterans with Services-Connected
Disabilities: A new credit of 40% of the first $24,000 of wages (up to
$9,600) for firms that hire veterans with service-connected disabilities
who have been in receipt of unemployment insurance or
compensation for longer than 6 months.
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