Located in:
- Jobs for Veterans’ State Grants
The Jobs for Veterans’ State Grants (JVSG) are mandatory, formula-based staffing grants to (including DC, PR, VI and Guam). The JVSG is funded annually in accordance with a funding formula defined in the statute (38 U.S.C. 4102A (c) (2) (B) and regulation and operates on a fiscal year (not program year) basis, however, performance metrics are collected and reported (VETS-200 Series Reports) quarterly (using four “rolling quarters”) on a Program Year basis (as with the ETA- 9002 Series). Currently, VETS JVSG operates on a five-year (FY 2015-2019), multi-year grant approval cycle modified and funded annually.
In accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 4102A(b)(5) and § 4102A(c), the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training (ASVET) makes grant funds available for use in each State to support Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER) staff. As a condition to receive funding, 38 U.S.C. § 4102A(c)(2) requires States to submit an application for a grant that contains a State Plan narrative, which includes:
g. 1. Job and Job Training Individualized Career Services,
Current Narrative:
Critical to ensuring that veterans’ services are consistent with state and federal guidelines, LWD has empowered a Veterans Program Coordinator to provide technical assistance, performance monitoring, program coordination, and program planning. Exceeding annual negotiated performance standards serve as the primary measure of program success. The coordinator will work in conjunction with the LWD Office of Research and Information staff using the VETS 200 and ETA 9002 reports, management reports, desk audits, self-assessments, on-site validation visits and discussions/feedback from partner agencies to assess program success.
The LWD Monitoring and Compliance unit in the Office of Research and Information conducts regular programmatic audits using a monitoring tool developed with input from the Veterans Program Coordinator. All aspects of the veterans program are monitored including JVSG and non-JVSG services delivered to veterans from priority of service to service delivery by JVSG funded staff to ensure consistency with most current guidance.
As the LVER reorganization moves forward, LWD anticipates more job order development successes as DVOP specialists and LVERs define their roles and responsibilities along guidance supplied in VPL 03-14, VPL 04-14 and VPL 08-14. LWD will concentrate LVER staff efforts on targeted job development services for veterans especially veterans determined to be job ready after receipt of intensive services from a DVOP specialist. These measures will assist LWD in enhancing the existing processes and oversight to ensure DVOP specialists provide intensive services for veterans with employment barriers, including homeless veterans, veterans with disabilities, and the other service categories listed in most current guidance.
Over the next several years, LWD anticipates an increasing number of employers will develop formal military veterans’ recruitment programs. Several large New Jersey employers have committed to hiring more veterans by setting numerical targets, designing media outreach programs, working closely with One-Stop Career Center staff on posting job orders, organizing hiring events, and dedicating company staff to veterans’ recruitment activities. Examples include Home Depot with a goal to increase military and veteran hires by 10% each year over a course of five years resulting in the hiring of an additional 55,000 veterans nationwide.