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Plan: Minnesota PYs 2024-2027
Combined Plan C

Section: WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Narrative: III. b. 7.

Published
Located in:
  • III. Operational Planning Elements

    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above.  Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.  This section must include—

    • b. State Operating Systems and Policies

      The Unified or Combined State Plan must include a description of the State operating systems and policies that will support the implementation of the State strategy described in section II Strategic Elements.  This includes—

III. b. 7. Priority of Service for Veterans

  • A. Describe how the State will implement the priority of service provisions for covered persons in accordance with the requirements of the Jobs for Veterans Act, codified at section 4215 of 38 U.S.C., which applies to all employment and training programs funded in whole or in part by the Department of Labor.

  • B. Describe how the State will monitor priority of service provisions for veterans.

  • C. Describe the triage and referral process for eligible veterans and other populations determined eligible to receive services from the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) program’s Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist/Consolidated Position.

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

A.  Implementing Priority of Service Provisions Compliance

Minnesota will provide priority of service to all employment and training programs that are funded in whole or in part by the Department of Labor. Minnesota CareerForce system ensures the provision of priority of service in the following:

  • At the entry point of all one-stop centers (AJC) also branded as CareerForce locations. Staff is trained to screen and identify potential covered persons. Entry point staff asks customers if they have served in the U.S. military.
  • To ensure that CareerForce reception staff is well versed in the priority of service, staff received the WIOA JVSG Desk Reference flyer, and they were also invited to participate in the online training or instructor-led training provided by the National Veterans Training Institute (NVTI) geared toward educating one-stop staff about the veterans service and priority of service.
  • LVERs train and update local CareerForce staff and management on the provisions of POS.
  • Point of Entry - signage at all CareerForce locations advises Veterans and other eligible persons of priority of service (POS).  Information on Priority of Service is also provided during various program orientations, by staff, and during workshops. 
  • POS is highlighted on our customer-facing website https://www.careerforcemn.com/
  • CareerForce locations have designated one of their computers as reserved for Veterans and spouses.
  • All workshops will have open slots available to Veterans up to the day the workshop is scheduled.
  • State Job Bank — Veterans and current and former Military members are able to identify themselves as such and are listed at the beginning of searches done by recruiters and employers. Employers are also able to self-designate as "Veterans Friendly Employers" so that Veterans can do keyword searches to find employers seeking Veterans for hire.
  • Veterans Questionnaire – Veterans Questionnaire is available at the reception area and is given to all customers who self-identify as veterans or eligible persons.
  • The questionnaire is a tool used to identify Veterans with significant employment barriers. This questionnaire is also available online on the Veterans Resources landing page on the CareerForceMN.com website:  https://www.careerforcemn.com/veterans

B.  Monitoring Priority of Service Provisions for Veterans

Priority of Service is monitored by the State Veterans Services Director in collaboration with CareerForce management to ensure priority of service is provided in all Minnesota CareerForce locations.

Monitoring activities include on-site visits, interviews with staff, and regular reviews of local office plans, and if available policies related specifically to “Priority of Service for Covered Persons.” USDOL will also conduct visits and federal audits, as scheduled. The JVSG staff submit Quarterly Managers Reports to the local office managers that identify Priority of Service for Covered Persons and will identify issues and resolutions to Priority of Service as necessary.

Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER) staff provides ongoing training to CareerForce staff and partners statewide to ensure a successful implementation and understanding of Priority of Service for Covered Persons.

In addition, LVER staff reviews how Priority of Service is being implemented within each of the Minnesota CareerForce locations in their respective regions and offers guidance on how/where to improve Priority of Service efforts if necessary. The goal is to make certain that local CareerForce front desk staff is well versed on veteran priority of service.

C.  The triage and Referral Process for Eligible Veterans and Other Populations

Veterans Questionnaire – The Minnesota Veterans Questionnaire is given to Veterans to assist reception area staff in identifying Veterans with significant barriers to employment. This questionnaire is also available online on the Veterans Resources landing page on the CareerForceMN.com website:  https://www.careerforcemn.com/veterans.

Non-JVSG staff conducts the triage by reviewing the questionnaire responses. We ask all customers who come to the CareerForce locations if they ever served in the US Military.  If the answer is yes, we ask them to complete the Veterans Questionnaire. Non-JVSG partner staff does the initial triage/assessment, reviews the questionnaire, and makes appropriate referrals based on the responses to the questionnaire.

The JVSG staff is trained and instructed not to perform intake duties or point-of-entry functions normally assigned to other CareerForce partner staff.

Veterans with Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE)— All veterans determined to have SBE will be referred to DVOP to receive individualized career services or in the absence of the DVOP, a designated individualized career services provider. Veterans are eligible for DVOP services if they meet the criteria for having a significant barrier to employment or if they are designated as a special population.