USDOL / VETS Programs for Maryland Veterans

VETS Mission To provide Veterans and Transitioning Service members with the resources and services to succeed in the 21st Century workforce by maximizing their employment opportunities, protecting their employment rights, and meeting labor market demands with qualified Veterans.

VETS Employment Programs VETS supports a number of employment and training programs for veterans in Maryland including: – Jobs for Veterans’ State Grants – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) Grants – Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) Grants – Incarcerated Veterans Transitional Program Grant (IVTP) – Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) – Veteran’s Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) – Transition Assistance Program (TAP)

Jobs for Veterans Act Jobs for Veterans Act, P.L , provides priority of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by the Department of Labor. Authorizes Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) and Disabled Veterans Outreach (DVOP) Programs.

Maryland’s LVER / DVOP Grants This three million dollar annual grant supports: 25 DVOP Staff 17 LVER Staff 15,264 veterans registered as of 6/30/09 5,651 veterans entered employment as of 6/30/09

Statewide Network Both Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) staff are located in the State Workforce Agency One-Stop Career Centers statewide. LVER staff facilitate the delivery of employment and training opportunities and services for veterans. DVOP specialists provide intensive services to individual veterans with barriers to employment (including ex-offenders)

Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) Currently authorized under Title 38 United States Code, Section 2021, as amended by Section 5 of Public Law , the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of Section 2021 requires the Secretary of Labor to conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force. Administered by the Assistant Secretary for USDOL VETS

HVRP Objectives (1) To provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force and; (2) To stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans.

Maryland HVRP Grants Maryland currently has two HVRP grantees: The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, Inc. (MCVET) Way Station, Inc.

Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET) Current grant period 7/1/10 – 6/30/11 (First Year of 3 Year Cycle) Grant Amount $300,000 Baltimore location Employment focused program Hosts full time DVOP on site.

Way Station, Inc. Current grant period 7/1/10 – 6/30/11 (Second Year of 3 Year Cycle) Grant amount - $299,999 Frederick Based Serves veterans in multiple counties Employment focused program

Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) Authorized under Public Law # , WIA Section 168  Employment & Training Programs that meet the needs of veterans: – with service-connected disabilities; – Veterans who have significant barriers to employment including ex-offenders; – veterans who served on active duty in the armed forces during a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, and – recently separated veterans (48 months).

VWIP Objectives To provide services to assist in reintegrating veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force. To stimulate the development of effective delivery systems that will address the complex employment problems facing veterans.

VWIP Facts  All VWIP grants are competitively awarded.  All VWIP Grants are “Employment Focused”.  VWIP under WIA while HVRP is under Title 38.  Note: VWIP, HVRP, and IVTP objectives are the same – to transition veterans into the workforce but they serve different targeted veteran groups.

Maryland VWIP Grants Maryland currently has two VWIP grantees: Way Station, Inc. Easter Seals

Maryland’s VWIP Grant Way Station, Inc. (Frederick, MD) Current Grant Period 7/1/10 – 6/30/11 (Second Year of 3 Year Cycle) Current Grant Amount: $500,000 Serves veterans in multiple counties Employment focused program with emphasis on “green jobs”

Maryland’s VWIP Grant Easter Seals (Silver Spring, MD) Current Grant Period 7/1/10 – 6/30/11 (First Year of 3 Year Cycle) Current Grant Amount: $499,695 Serves veterans in multiple counties Employment focused program with emphasis on “green jobs”

Incarcerated Veterans’ Transitional Program (IVTP) Grant funded under the authority of 38 U.S.C. Section 2021 and 2023 as amended by PL , Sec. 602, titled the Expansion and Extension of Authority for Program of Referral and Counseling Services for At Risk Veterans Transitioning from Certain Institutions.

IVTP Objectives To provide referral and counseling services to assist reintegrating incarcerated and/or transitioning incarcerated veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless into meaningful employment within the labor force. To stimulate the development of effective delivery systems that will address the complex employment problems facing incarcerated and/or transitioning incarcerated veterans who are at risk of homelessness.

Maryland’s IVTP Grant Way Station, Inc. (Frederick, MD) Current Grant Period 7/1/10 – 6/30/11 (First Year of 3 Year Cycle) Current Grant Amount: $300,000 Serves veterans in multiple counties Employment focused program with emphasis on successfully transitioning incarcerated veterans back to their communities

USERRA Title 38 USC, Sections Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Purpose: To encourage non-career, uniformed service by minimizing or eliminating the disadvantages of temporarily and/or periodically leaving covered employment in the public or private sectors for covered service in the uniformed services. To encourage non-career, uniformed service by minimizing or eliminating the disadvantages of temporarily and/or periodically leaving covered employment in the public or private sectors for covered service in the uniformed services.

VETS Responsibilities under USERRA To assist employers, unions and other interested parties in resolving matters involving employment and reemployment rights issues while minimizing necessity for litigation. To assist employers, unions and other interested parties in resolving matters involving employment and reemployment rights issues while minimizing necessity for litigation. When necessary, conduct investigations and seek compliance with applicable statutes. When necessary, conduct investigations and seek compliance with applicable statutes.

Transition Assistance Program (TAP) 2.5 days of Instruction for Separating Military Service Members – Career self-assessment, guidance, and decision-making; Resume Development; Job Search and Interviewing; Labor Market Information Presented at military bases where separation occurs – CONUS (including Alaska and Hawaii) – OCONUS (Overseas) Facilitators – DVOP specialists/LVER staff/other State staff – Contracted Staff – VETS Federal Staff – NVTI Trained

TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN MARYLAND 8 Military Installations 8 Military Installations 2 ½ - 3 Day Job search Workshops 2 ½ - 3 Day Job search Workshops Total classes in FY Total classes in FY Total participants in FY 09-2,555 Total participants in FY 09-2,555 Facilitators: Facilitators: Contractors6 sites DOD1 site LVER1 site

Maryland’s Local VETS Your Local VETS staff in Maryland are: Stan SeidelU.S. Department of Labor DirectorVeterans’ Employment and Training Service N. Eutaw Street, Room 201 (410) Baltimore, MD Marcus Wardlaw Assistant Director Slemmer (410) Assistant Director U.S. Department of Labor/VETS Janet Boyd14 N. Potomac Street, Suite 100 Veterans’ Program AssistantHagerstown, MD (410) (301) (fax) (410) (fax)

Additional Information For more information on U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service programs, please visit our web site at: