All Employment Network Call May 7, 2015

Agenda Welcome General Announcements Ticket Portal Update and Testimonial Presentation - U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs' and Labor's collaborative employment service model for Veterans with disabilities Questions

Employment Coordinator Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment and DVOP: Assisting Service-Connected Veterans Achieve Suitable Employment Jacqueline Zepp Employment Coordinator Department of Veterans Affairs May 7, 2015

What is VA Voc Rehab? Benefit program to help Veterans with service-connected disabilities obtain and maintain suitable employment and/or achieve independence in daily living. This is an Employment Program with the end goal suitable employment.

Suitable Employment Consistent with veteran’s interests, aptitudes and abilities Does not aggravate veteran’s disability Stable and continuing Requires reasonably developed job skills

Eligibility Veterans: Cannot have a dishonorable discharge VA service-connected disability (SCD) rating of 10%

Entitlement to Services 20% SCD Rating AND Employment Handicap or 10% SCD Rating AND Serious Employment Handicap Vocational rehabilitation is required to overcome an Employment Handicap Reasonable expectation that VR services will result in rehabilitation

Entitlement to Voc Rehab Tracks to Employment: Rapid Access to Employment Employment Through Long Term Services Independent Living Services Self-Employment The purpose of this program is to provide the services and assistance necessary to enable qualified veterans to find and maintain suitable employment, and if needed, to achieve independence in daily living.

Employment Services Development of an Individual Employment Assistance Plan Resume Development Interviewing Techniques Purchase tools or equipment necessary for Veteran to maintain employment (i.e. mechanics)

Employment Services Continued Purchase Uniforms necessary for Veteran to maintain employment Special Employer Incentive Referral to Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialist Transition Support or Non Paid Work Experience

Non Paid Work Experience Benefit to Veteran: Supplements other training or experience Serves as a transition to employment. Provides hands-on work experience Provides current work experience Builds confidence Provides subsistence allowance Provides exposure to government employment opportunities

Non-Paid Work Experience (cont.) Benefit to Agency: High quality worker at no expense No “red tape” to hire or fire - no promise of employment upon completion of experience Minimal paperwork Flexible - does not have to be full-time Placement can be at any local, state or federal government facility Can utilize special hiring authorities to hire trained veteran

Special Employer Incentive (SEI) Pays employer for additional expenses incurred in providing direct employment or training for VR&E participants through an on the job training program. Requires minimal paperwork Employee is trained by the employer’s standard Three to six months for the completion of SEI

Benefits to Employers VA VR&E has over 80 Employment Coordinators placed in Regional Offices Contact your local VA VR&E Employment Coordinator to explore partnering

Employment Coordinator Questions? Jacqueline Zepp Employment Coordinator 602.627.2784 jacqueline.zepp@va.gov

DVOP and VR&E: Assisting Service-Connected Disabled Veterans Get Back to Work Joel H. Delofsky, Senior Program Analyst U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program The Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) began as a special pilot effort in 1977 Outreach to disabled and Vietnam-era Veterans (2,000 staff) Made permanent in 1980 by Public Law (P.L.) 96-466 First VETS’ Grants to States in 1981 (1,800 Staff) Role and Duties enumerated in: Jobs for Veterans Act (P.L. 107-288) of 2001 VOW to Hire Heroes Act (P.L. 112-56) of 2011 FY 2014 and FY 2015 Appropriations Acts (P.L.113-76 and 235) Agency Directives Veterans’ Program Letters (VPLs) to State Workforce Agencies (VPL 03-14, 04-14, 07-14, 08-14) Here are some facts about the history of DVOP and some more up to date references. DVOP specialists are currently located in more than half of the 2,467 American Job Center or Comprehensive and Affiliate One-Stop Career Centers.

DVOP Role and Duties Serve service-connected disabled veterans and other individuals with significant barriers to employment (SBE) Serve individuals identified in statute Transitioning Service Members and eligible spouses Wounded, ill or injured or wounded service members and their spouses/family caregivers; or, Serve Individuals designated by the Secretary of Labor Unemployed Veterans between 18 and 24 years of age Provide maximum emphasis on economically and educationally disadvantaged veterans.

SBE Categories An eligible veteran or eligible spouse is determined to have a SBE if he or she attests to belonging to at least one of the six criteria below: Special disabled/disabled veterans (including VR&E participants); Homeless veterans; Unemployed recently-separated veterans; unemployed for 27 or more consecutive weeks; Incarcerated veterans and ex-offenders released from incarceration within the last 12 months; Veterans lacking a high school diploma or equivalent certificate; or, Low-income veterans (as defined by the Department). DVOP Specialists assist and may be out stationed at Homeless Veterans shelters and VA Vocational Rehabilitation Offices.

VA-DOL Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) Service; and Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) Establish Joint Workgroup (JWG) Guidelines JWG Established Collaborative VR&E/VETS Processes VETS’ DVETs and VA’s VR Counselors collaborate during: Intake/orientation Career identification and selection Through training Joint job development and placement “Ensure all Participants receive quality employment assistance” Adopt White House Job-Driven Training Initiative Elements

White House Job Driven Training Elements Employer Engagement Private – Public Partnerships Localized Labor Market/Career Information Job / Career Results

Referral and Placement Services VRC refer Chapter 31 (VR&E) clients through a State Agency Intensive Services Coordinator (ISC) ISC identifies a DVOP Specialist DVOP Specialist contacts VR&E Participant Enters initial information on VR&E tracking sheet Expands upon Individual Employment Plan Localized Labor Market/Career Search Referral to Job/Training Opportunity Records Placement/Career Results Provides VR&E Tracking sheet to VA through ISC Collaborate/Report Monthly and Annually (December 15).

VR&E Tracking Report (VETS-201) Tracking Reports will include the total number of clients: Referred from VR&E Service Employment Coordinators (EC)/Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRC) to the DOL-VETS Point of Contact for employment services Referred who are not provided direct client services Who enter suitable employment (work that is within each Veteran's physical and emotional capabilities and is consistent with his/her abilities, aptitudes, and interests) Who maintained suitable employment for at least 60 days and meet Title 38, United States Code, Chapter 31 (38 U.S.C. 31) rehabilitation criteria per Section 21.283 of Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR§21.283)

Questions or Comments Joel H. Delofsky, Senior Program Analyst delofsky.joel@dol.gov 1-202-527-3137 USDOL – VETS www.dol.gov/vets