New HIRE Vets Medallion Award program announced
The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2017 (HIRE Vets Act or the Act), signed by President Trump on May 5, 2017, requires the Secretary of Labor to establish a program, by rule, that recognizes employer efforts to recruit, employ, and retain veterans. Employer-applicants meeting criteria established in the rule will receive a “HIRE Vets Medallion Award.” There are two award tiers, Platinum and Gold, for large (500-plus employees), medium (51-499 employees), and small employers (50 or fewer employees). Verification of the award criteria includes a self-attestation by the applicant and a check for violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Act (VEVRAA).
The Secretary announced the Final Rule (20 C.F.R. § 1011) on November 9, 2017 and it became effective in January 2018. Using the criteria established in the Final Rule, the Department of Labor (DOL) conducted a HIRE Vets Medallion Program Demonstration in 2018. The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) accepted a limited number of applications and employers who successfully met requirements will receive recognition from the Secretary of Labor.
VETS will begin accepting applications for the full program in January 2019.
HIRE Vets Medallion Award
Successful employers will receive a certificate stating the award year and a digital image of the medallion to use, including as part of an advertisement, solicitation, business activity, or product.
Benefits of the Program
The purpose of the HIRE Vets Medallion Award is to recognize employers who hire and retain veterans, including their efforts to establish employee development programs and veteran specific benefits to improve retention. Award recipients will have the opportunity to utilize the medallion in the marketing of their firm as a veteran friendly business when hiring, and in efforts to attract additional business.
Detailed information about how to gain eligibility can be found at HIREVets.gov. For questions, contact Jason A. Sechrist- LVER, CT Department of Labor, Office of Veterans Workforce Development, ph: 860-848-5258, fax: 860-848-5222
www.ctdol.state.ct.us/veterans
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