The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it will establish the HIRE Vets Medallion Program to recognize employers who recruit, retain, and employ veterans, and who offer charitable services in support of the veteran community. The DOL is establishing the program under the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act, or HIRE Vets Act.
There will be two levels of awards for large employers: (1) the Gold HIRE Vets Medallion Award and (2) the Platinum HIRE Vets Medallion Award. The DOL will establish similar awards for small and medium-sized employers. Criteria for these awards include:
- Percentage of employees who are veterans;
- Percentage of veteran employees who are retained;
- Establishment of veterans’ assistance and training programs;
- Employment of dedicated human resources professionals for veterans; and
- Income and tuition support for veterans.
DOL is in the process of finalizing details for the new program, and will release the information to the public once complete.
The announcement from the DOL can be found at: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osec/osec20170505