Local Workforce Service Area (WSA) providers must have a procedure to ensure that Veterans and eligible spouses receive service without requiring a referral to a Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) staff person. This service can happen with any available WFC staff with the capacity to provide intensive services, regardless of program.
Further, all WFCs must use the attached Minnesota Veteran Questionnaire to ensure accurate identification of a Veteran with a significant barrier to employment (SBE) or eligible spouse. This will facilitate the referral of a Veteran with a SBE or eligible spouse to appropriate DVOP staff, or in the absence of a DVOP, referral to a WFC staff person who can provide intensive services.
Veterans facing one or more SBEs must be offered intensive services immediately by WFC staff who have the capacity to offer such services.
An eligible veteran or eligible spouse is determined to have a SBE if s/he attests to meeting at least one of the six following criteria:
1. A special or disabled veteran, who is/was:
a. Entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs; or
b. Discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
Note: The determination of disability must be made solely on the basis of self-identification.
Note: Any individual who separated from active duty because of a service-connected disability qualifies as a disabled veteran regardless of the number of days of active duty served, as does any veteran with a disability rating provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
2. Homeless, as defined in Section 103(a) of the Steward B. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302(a));
3. Recently separated service member who at any point in the previous 12 months has been unemployed for 27 or more weeks (long-term unemployed);
4. An offender, as defined by WIOA Section 3(38);
5. Lacking a high school diploma or equivalent certificate; or
6. Low-income, as defined under WIOA Sec. 3(36).
Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVERs) must perform only duties which are related to outreach to the employer community and facilitation within the state’s employment service delivery system, such as promoting the advantages of hiring veterans to employers, employer associations, and business groups.
Where intensive services are provided, WFC and DVOP staff should track their services accordingly in Workforce One to reflect actual sequence and funding source of service. Otherwise, core services are welcome at time of WFC entry, and need not be tracked via enrollment in Workforce One.
Priority of service requirements remain in effect.
Policy Background
The Department of Labor is committed to serving transitioning service members, veterans, and their families by providing resources to assist and prepare them to obtain meaningful careers and maximize their employment opportunities. DOL’s commitment is an important part of fulfilling our national obligation to the men and women who have served our country. To balance this commitment with a limited number of veterans program staff, each state must establish processes to offer immediate service to veterans while reserving intensive services to those veterans facing significant barriers to employment.