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November 5, 2008 DOL Home > Newsroom > Speeches & Remarks |
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Statement of Frederico Juarbe, Jr. Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Evans, and other distinguished members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee: The Department of Labor is pleased to have this opportunity to provide comments on the state of veterans employment. We would first like to extend our greetings and congratulations to new committee members and to Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Evans, as well as the returning members of the Committee for a remarkable 107th Congress, which resulted in landmark employment legislation on behalf of our nations veterans. I would also like to extend our thanks and congratulations to former Chairman of the Benefits Subcommittee, Mike Simpson, and the Ranking Member, Sylvestre Reyes, for their leadership in shepherding H.R. 4015 to Public Law 107-288, the Jobs for Veterans Act. I will begin my testimony with an overview of the vision of the Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), followed by a descriptive look at the questions presented in your invitation, and close by highlighting some milestone achievements by VETS during the past year. I also welcome any further inquiries you may have in regard to the services we provide and the results we obtain. A New Vision for a New Century At the beginning of this past year, Secretary Elaine Chao set a standard for all Department of Labor agencies to focus their efforts toward addressing the issues of the 21st Century Workforce. To this end, the Veterans Employment and Training Service took an introspective look at our agencys operations, programs and services with the goal of making VETS a world class organization by setting priorities and embracing a vision congruent with the realities facing veterans in the modern economy. We established a list of top ten priorities to focus our efforts and resources in a manner consistent with the guidance provided by the Secretary, the law, the needs of our partners, and the veterans we serve. In working through this process, our vision as an agency became clear: Veterans succeeding in the 21st Century Workforce. We believe that U.S. veterans typify the attributes associated with success in the 21st Century Workforce. According to DoD, $14 billion in public funds are invested each year in the training and education of service members. At the point that they join the civilian labor force, these veterans are not only highly skilled, but extensively cross-trained and infused with the work ethic necessary to meet the demands for increased productivity in the modern economy. They are a 21st Century-Ready Workforce with expertise and experience that readily satisfies many of the skills needs that employers face. Thus, the Department of Labor has acted aggressively to gain insight from the attributes of this population to address the issues of the 21st Century Workforce at large. Transition Assistance Program (TAP) The Veterans Employment and Training Service and our partners are continually working on ways to improve the delivery of TAP services and provide greater accessibility to this program, which has a proven track record of helping separating service members make a transition to civilian life. Providing TAP workshops overseas is a goal that requires combined resources and close partnership of the Departments of Labor and Defense. Secretary Chao and Secretary Rumsfeld met to renew their commitment to improve transition assistance for separating service members worldwide. Department of Labor personnel are working diligently to combine services with DOD to provide service members a distinct advantage when transitioning from military service to careers in the 21st Century Workforce. The primary concern of both DOD and DOL is to ensure that we provide the same level and quality of services to the 20,000 service members who are separating overseas each year as we provide to the more than 162,000 service members who separate annually in the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. As soon as the Departments finalize the plan, we can offer briefings to members and staff. We will continue our ongoing efforts to assure that all separating service members receive meaningful assistance. To that end, we combined and updated all of our web-based resources into a personalized Internet tool-kit called e-VETS. It is also referred to as the Transition web site, and its address is www.dol.gov/elaws/evets.htm. The Transition web site offers a wide range of helpful topics, such as job search tools and tips, career assessment, education and training information, civilian certification and licensing, personal financial assistance, employment opportunities, a military occupational specialty crosswalk and information on veterans benefits. VETS will continue to provide the TAP Manual to those service members separating overseas. Performance Benchmarks In addition to the information on TAP, you requested information to establish a performance baseline (benchmark) by which the success of P.L. 107-288 may be measured. Establishing firm performance benchmarks in the inaugural years of landmark legislation is necessary for setting goals for, and achieving, significant improvements in program performance. By setting baseline figures for performance under previous statutes, we are better equipped to measure the success of the new law and to identify necessary course corrections early in the process.
Summary of Implementation of The Jobs for Veterans Act You also requested a summary of the Department of Labors efforts to implement the Jobs for Veterans Act (P.L.107-288). It is apparent that Congress recognized the importance of bringing VETS into the 21st Century by the passage of this law, which invigorates and validates a number of improvements already set in motion by this agency. More importantly, it removes significant barriers and provides increased flexibility to the Department. We have a focused and dedicated staff addressing the multitude of activities that are required by P.L. 107-288. Their activities are being coordinated and tracked to ensure their timely completion. This legislation requires significant structural changes to the Departments employment and training systems. Change of this magnitude must be carefully managed to ensure a comprehensive, smooth transition under a realistic timeframe. For example, P.L. 107-288 was enacted after the new fiscal year began. Consequently, we must continue to manage the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program specialists and Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVERs) grants under the current grant provisions. Other changes include a new funding formula for State DVOP and LVER grants, phased in over a three-year period beginning October 1, 2002, and collection of new workload and performance data to be reported annually to Congress. Currently, the data collection system is based on a Program Year (PY), which is linked to the Employment Service reporting system, and must follow the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The mechanics of modifying States software, making program changes, revising input documents and constructing instructional handbooks will all require additional time. This should be completed at the beginning of PY 2004 (July 1, 2004). A significant amount of time is also required for effective implementation of other elements in P.L. 107-288, such as grant-based performance measures, entered employment thresholds, and performance incentives. This includes essential partner collaboration and the promulgation of regulations. Nevertheless, our goal is to have the necessary agreements with our State partners, and implement the new program elements by the beginning of FY 2004 (October 1, 2003). Issues currently being addressed include:
Work on other provisions of the law is also moving ahead. Work groups are addressing performance incentives, content of State plans, modification of reporting systems to track services provided to transitioning service members, revision of regulations under the Federal Contractor Program, working with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on the new elements of the Veterans Recruitment Appointments, development of one-stop employment services via the Internet and working out the details in establishing the Committee to Raise Employer Awareness of Skills of Veterans and Benefits of Hiring Veterans. Helping Veterans Succeed in the 21st Century In light of so many changes, the Department of Labor would like to share with you a history of successes that began in this room and are linking your efforts and vision to individual veterans and service members across the nation and around the world. e-VETS: VETS has developed an Internet-based tool, the e-laws e-VETS Resource Advisor, to help veterans and their family members maneuver through the vast amount of material available on the Internet at www.dol.gov/elaws/evets.htm. Based on the personal profile and various services selected, the Advisor provides active duty military personnel, veterans, reservists, National Guard members and their families, a list of web site links most relevant to their specific needs and interests. Users can choose from categories including job search skills and tools, employment opportunities through sites such as Americas Job Bank, career job listing, assessment tools, education and training, entrepreneurship, veterans service organizations, housing and financial assistance, etc. The site is audited monthly by VETS and fully evaluated every 90 days to ensure accuracy. PROVET: Promoting Re-employment Opportunities for Veterans is an employer directed job development and placement program. The program focuses on screening, matching and placing job-ready transitioning service members into available, career-building jobs in targeted industries with a recognized labor shortage and growth potential. The initiatives in Tennessee and Ohio proved the concept workable, so additional projects are in the planning stages or underway in three other locations. For example, a San Diego pilot project in the health care field with Kaiser-Permanente as the primary employer piggybacks on a dislocated workers program currently funded by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA). With both VETS and ETA involved, the project serves not only veterans and separating military members, but also spouses of military members. Another project in Georgia will explore the feasibility of allowing military spouses who work in large retail chains to transfer seniority and benefits from store to store, state to state, as the military member transfers from base to base. USERRA: Today, the significance of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is more important than ever, given the significant number of troop deployments; therefore, we are moving forward with a plan to promulgate regulationsfor this important law. USERRA protects the reemployment rights of service members who leave civilian jobs for military service, so that they may return to those jobs at the pay, benefits, and status they would have attained had they not been away on duty. We must show our support for these members of our military by providing clear and consistent guidance to them, and to their employers. Regulations will better clarify the rights and responsibilities of these employees and their employers, and help assure that members of the Reserves can serve, secure in the knowledge that their civilian jobs will be waiting for them when they conclude their service. VETS continues its ongoing outreach efforts to familiarize Reservists and their employers with USERRA and the protections that it provides for job, pension, and health benefits, including recent guidance on how USERRA protects the Family and Medical Leave Act benefits of returning service members. Our on-line e-laws USERRA Advisor, www.dol.gov/elaws/userra0.htm, provides information and answers for both employers and employees, and is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week at no cost to the user. In addition, VETS is working closely with OPM to make federal agencies aware of the rights of our service members. We also have a successful outreach program to unions and business associations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and have fostered good relationships with these groups. These relationships enable us to emphasize the rights and protections of USERRA to these groups through a variety of ways, such as meetings, web casts, and newsletters. Other Program Improvements and Initiatives: We at the Department of Labor and the VETS are undertaking initiatives and making measurable improvements in programs and services that will make our organization world class and fully capable of a major role in managing change for the future. For example, VETS is using the Workforce Investment Act, Section 168, Veterans Workforce Investment Programs (VWIP), to target our employment and training initiatives to populations that need help the most, including economically disadvantaged, homeless and/or disabled veterans. Many veterans within these populations have significant barriers to employment that require specialized services to attain self-sufficiency. VETS is undertaking a Disabled Veterans Hiring Initiative that will provide technical assistance to Federal agencies in recruiting and hiring veterans with disabilities, consistent with Executive Orders 13078 and 13163, thereby complementing efforts being made by the Department of Labors newly established Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). We will visit Federal agencies in the Washington, D.C. area and other major cities where Federal agencies are located in our efforts to promote increased hiring of disabled veterans. As partners with other Federal, State, and local homeless service providers, such as HUD, VA, HHS, and Workforce Investment Boards, we are providing program grants through a competitive process under the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). These grants provide services that include occupational skills training, job search and placement assistance. During Fiscal Year 2002, a total of 102 grants were awarded. Of these, 43 went to non-profit organizations, 11 were awarded to faith-based organizations, and the remainder went to State and local public agencies. These grants resulted in the enrollment of 12,142 homeless veterans in the program. Of those enrolled, more than half6,605successfully entered employment. Under the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001, the Department of Labor and VA partnered to develop a demonstration program to refer and counsel veterans who are making the transition from penal institutions and who are at risk for homelessness. We also formed an interagency work group including members from the Bureau of Prisons and the Small Business Administration whose mission is to establish project objectives, goals, and locations for reducing unemployment, recidivism and homelessness for all qualified veterans who are or were incarcerated or institutionalized. We are also members of the Interagency Council on Homelessness. Prevention of homelessness is one of the key themes of the Councils work, and within that "discharge planning" is a key componentwhether its military personnel making a transition to civilian life, prisoners being released from incarceration, or persons completing mental health or substance abuse treatment programs. Finally, we have met with potential service providers for incarcerated veterans to discuss funding for two specific demonstration projects that would begin in the spring of 2003. We also expect to launch a third project this fiscal year Conclusion Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, this concludes my statement. It is important to ensure that this Countrys veterans succeed in the 21st Century Workforce, particularly in this period of our Nations history when we are once again asking our young men and women to step forward into harms way. It is imperative that we provide the assistance they will require when they return from their military service. Together we will manage our programs and the taxpayers resources to help improve the quality of our Nations veterans employment. I will be happy to answer any questions. # # # _________________________________________________________________ |
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