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1 1 (April 24, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govzew0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Conressional Resarc Sevc Updated April 24, 2018 Veterans' Employment Veterans' employment outcomes are a topic of ongoing congressional interest. This In Focus provides a summary of the recent performance of former members of the Armed Forces in the civilian labor market and brief descriptions of major federal programs and policies that support veterans' employment. Performance of Veterans in the Labor Market Veterans account for about 6% of the civilian labor force. Approximately one-third of veterans in the labor force served after September 2001 (Post-9/11 veterans) and the remaining two-thirds served in prior periods. Figure 1 shows trends in the unemployment rate for Post- 9/11 veterans, veterans from prior service periods, and nonveterans since 2009. During this period, Post-9/11 veterans typically reported a higher unemployment rate than non-veterans and veterans from other service periods. In recent years, the unemployment rates of non-veterans and Post-9/11 veterans have begun to converge. The similar trends of the three populations in Figure 1 illustrate the relationship between veterans' employment outcomes and the broader labor market. Figure I. Unemployment Rates for Post-9/1 I Veterans, Other Veterans, and Non-veterans 14% Post-9/11 Veterans 12% 10% Non-Pterns7- 6% o% ----- -------- ----- ----- ----- --- ----- - --- -- -- -- -- -1 -- - -- - - - - Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, data through March 2018. Notes: Data reflect moving average for 12-month period ending the month on the horizontal axis. Some of the dynamism of the rate of Post-9/1 I veterans may be due to small sample sizes and sampling error. The reduction in the unemployment rate of Post-9/11 veterans may be due to a number of issues. It may reflect veterans benefitting from an improved labor market or the success of programs described in this report. The decline of the unemployment rate for Post-9/1 1 veterans may also be attributable to changes in the makeup of the Post-9/11 veteran population. Over the course of the period presented in Figure 1, veterans who were discharged shortly after September 2001 became more experienced workers, and more experienced workers tend to have lower unemployment rates. Similarly, newly discharged veterans increased the size of the Post-9/11 veteran population each month, but the recently discharged portion of the population (which typically has higher unemployment rates) became a smaller portion of the overall Post-9/1 1 veteran population. Overview of Veteran Employment Programs The remainder of this report describes major federal programs that support veterans in the civilian labor market. Federal programs that target smaller subsets of veterans, such as the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, are not included. In addition to federal efforts, there are substantial state, local, and private initiatives that support veterans' employment outcomes but are beyond the scope of this report. The programs described in this report require veteran status as a condition of eligibility, though specific eligibility criteria vary. Some programs may only be available to veterans who served for a minimum duration, served during a specific period, or meet other criteria. In many cases, veterans who qualify for programs described in this report may also be eligible for benefits that are available to the general public on the basis of income or other characteristics. For example, low-income veterans who pursue higher education with GI Bill benefits may be eligible for Pell Grants in addition to any veteran-specific education benefits. From a budgetary perspective, the largest investments that support veterans' entry into the civilian labor market are education benefits. In FY2017, the GI Bills provided more than $12 billion in payments to or on behalf of veterans. The largest portion of this funding was for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, though veterans also received education benefits under other programs. Due to the integration of some veterans' employment programs with other government functions, it is difficult to estimate the total costs of non-education interventions. By most estimates, however, federal funding for veteran education benefits is substantially greater than aggregate funding for non-education employment interventions. Transition Assistance Program for Exiting Members of the Armed Forces Servicemembers who are separating or retiring from the Armed Forces are required to participate in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP includes five days of classroom-based instruction, including an employment ttps://crsreports.congress.gov

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