Narrative: III. b. 7.

The state shall provide priority of service for veterans in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 4215(b). The term "priority of service" means, with respect to any qualified job training program, that a covered person shall be given priority over nonveterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services provided under that program, notwithstanding any other provision of law. Such priority includes giving access services to a covered person before a non-covered person, or, if resources are limited, giving access to such services to a covered person instead of a non-covered person.

Priority starts with the first One-Stop Career Center (OSCC) member that comes in contact with the veteran or eligible person. During the reception process, a series of questions identifies veterans and eligibility status. Qualified veterans and/or qualified spouses are provided services prior to other customers and an initial assessment is completed by the first available OSCC staff member. If during the initial assessment it is determined that the veteran has an SBE or is a member of another special category, the veteran is immediately referred to a DVOP specialist.

The state provides priority of service in accordance with TEGL 05-03. When a veteran is identified as having barriers to employment, they are fast tracked on a priority basis to ensure that those barriers are resolved as expeditiously as possible. The state has memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with U.S. Department of Labor-funded programs covered by Section 4215 on veterans' priority and refers veterans to training and supportive services within that network on a priority basis. The state has partnered with educational entities within the state and the vocational/technical institutions, which also provide priority service for veterans and assists them with their educational and literacy needs.

Veterans receive priority for employment and job training opportunities available through WIOA funding, on-the-job training, skills development training and youth training contracts. Veterans can locate training opportunities through use of the HiRE database and receive training at private facilities, which have been approved through the State’s Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). Should veterans meet the eligibility criteria, their training costs are paid by the WIOA program or through individual training accounts. Veterans are given priority in instances of training fund shortages. LVER staff and other OSCC staff identify jobs and training opportunities specifically tailored for veterans, as they promote veterans as potential employees. These priority services are made available and provided to veterans, transitioning service members, Chapter 31 veterans, Native American veterans and other groups targeted for special consideration, including difficult-to-serve veterans and veterans with barriers to employment.

The state will closely monitor the provision of priority of service. Both JVSG management and local area coordinators shall periodically conduct site checks to ensure all required priority of service signs are present and properly displayed, and that OSCC staff understand both the requirement of priority of service and its proper implementation. During these site visits, monitors pay particular attention to the implementation of priority of service beyond core services, particularly in the allocation of training funds. The state shall consider an indicated referral rate in any one of these areas being lower for veterans and other eligible persons than for nonveterans to be evidence of a potential priority-of-implementation problem. The state shall immediately place the affected region under examination and take corrective action measures to include, but not be limited, to additional training.