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OUR SERVICE BEGINS WHEN YOUR SERVICE
ENDS
 At
Workforce Solutions, helping veterans and their families enter or return
to the nation’s workforce is our privilege. If you‘re
a veteran, Workforce Solutions can help you assess how skills you acquired
in the military can help your job prospects. We can help you figure
out what skills are in demand and where you can get those skills
or improve the skills you already have.
 Whether
you left the armed forces 10 days ago or 10 years ago, your employment
needs receive our immediate attention. Workforce Solutions staff includes
many veterans who are able to help you with the process of re-entering
the civilian workforce.
Check the following sources for helpful information
regarding veterans’ issues.
Microsoft, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor and Workforce Solutions is proud to offer U.S. military veterans and their eligible spouses, vouchers for no-cost IT skills training and certification designed to help you build the technology skills employers are looking for. Click here to learn more about the Microsoft Elevate America Veterans initiative.
Also check a new American Petroleum Institute (API) website that encourages veterans returning to civilian life to consider pursuing an exciting career in the energy industry. www.veteranstoenergy.org. What's on the site? 
College Credit for Heroes
Do you think you deserve credit for your military training? We do!
Check out College Credit for Heroes. It’s an online database that matches military training to college courses. As a guest user you can enter your military occupation and service schools to get an immediate estimate of potential college credits. Or, you can complete the free registration and request an official evaluation of your military educational experience. And, if you decide to pursue a degree or certificate, you can even request an official college transcript.
College Credit For Heroes is a partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Click here to learn more.
| KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TO RE-EMPLOYMENT |
| Veterans are entitled
to re-employment rights with their last employer
when they are released from the Armed Forces of
the United States, providing their absence is not
longer than four years. The right of re-employment
is available regardless of whether the veteran was,
prior to service, employed by the state, county
or city government, or by private industry. |
| FYI FOR STATE-EMPLOYED VETERANS |
| Non-retired veterans employed by the State of
Texas are entitled to claim their active duty military
time for up to 60 months of military credit towards
retirement. Eligible veterans must present a proper
request and pay into the retirement system. Such
contribution is paid at the rate which was applicable
at the time the employed veteran was first covered
by the state retirement system, plus any accrued
interest. |
| 2-1-1 : ESSENTIAL & EASY |
| 2-1-1 is an easy to remember telephone
number that connects people with important community
services and volunteer opportunities. |
| Among its features: |
- One call gives you access to resources across
your community. 2-1-1 is efficient, fast and
easy to use.
- No more wrong numbers; no more wasted time
trying to find the right resource(s).
- 2-1-1 is a confidential call; most often the
name of the caller is not even taken.
- 2-1-1 maintains the integrity of the 9-1-1
system, saving that vital community resource
for life and death emergencies.
- 24-hour/7 day a week availability.
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| VETERANS BENEFITS |
| More Education is Always an Option |
More job skills lead to more job opportunities, and Workforce Solutions can help you find financial aid for education. One example is the Pell Grant, a federal grant awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. A number of other education benefits are also available to veterans who qualify, such as those provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, and the Hazelwood Act for Texas veterans.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Texas Veterans Commission |
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| Home Financing |
The Texas Veterans Land Board offers
veterans low interest loans for land, homes
and home improvements. For more information,
go to VLB - Housing Assistance.
Also, the Texas State Veterans Cemetery
(TSVC) can help with burial cost for veterans.
Contact TSVC at Texas Veterans Land Board
for more information. |
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| Tax Exemption |
| Disabled veterans who meet certain requirements,
their surviving spouses and the spouses and
minor children of a person who dies on active
duty in the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible
for property tax exemptions on the appraised
value of their property. For more information,
contact http://www.tvc.state.tx.us/StateBenefits.html. |
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| Counseling and Advocacy |
| The Texas Veterans Commission provides
free, professional benefits counseling and
advocacy through state and county veterans
service officers. They can assist you in applying
for numerous VA benefit programs and health
care services. Call the Texas Veterans Hotline
at 1-800-252-VETS (8387) for more information. |
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| Priority Health Care for Disabled
Veterans |
| All veterans with service-connected
medical problems will receive priority access
to health care from the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) under a new directive.
The new directive provides that all veterans
requiring care for a service-connected disability,
regardless of the extent of their injury,
must be scheduled for a primary care evaluation
within 30 days of their request for care.
If a VA facility is unable to schedule an
appointment within 30 days, it must arrange
for care at another VA facility, at a contract
facility or through a sharing agreement.
The directive covers hospitalization and
outpatient care. It does not apply to care
for medical problems not related to a service-connected
disability. However, veterans needing emergency
care will be treated immediately.
The new provision is an extension of rules
that took effect in October 2002 for severely
disabled veterans. Under the earlier rule,
priority access to health care went to veterans
with disabilities rated at 50 percent or
more. For the severely disabled, the priority
includes care for non-service-connected
medical problems.
See also – Mental Health Resources |
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| E-laws |
| The U.S. Department of Labor has developed
several laws and online guides to help employees
and employers understand their rights and
responsibilities under numerous federal employment
laws. E-laws are detailed online at www.dol.gov/elaws. |
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| The Veterans’ Preference Advisor |
| The advisor allows veterans to examine
the preferences for which they might be entitled
with regard to federal jobs. It was developed
by the Veterans’ Employment and Training
Service. |
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| The Uniformed Services Employment
and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) |
| USERRA provides reemployment protection
and other benefits for veterans. In addition,
USERRA helps veterans understand employee
eligibility and job entitlements, employer
obligations, and benefits available to veterans
through the act. If you have any additional
questions about veterans benefits, Workforce Solutions’s
veterans counselor will be happy to assist
you. |
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Department of Veterans Affairs
Texas Veterans Commission
Texas Veterans Online
VetSucess
Texas Veterans HOTLINE
1-800-252-VETS (8387)
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