USDOL/ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 5-03, “Implementing the Veterans’ Priority Provisions of the ‘Jobs for Veterans Act’ (PL 107-288)”

Veterans’ Program Letter (VPL) No. 11-2, “New Roles and Responsibilities (formerly known as Prototype Performance Standards) for the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) staff”

• DVOPs and LVERs may only serve veterans, “other eligibles” and transitioning service members. “Other eligibles” are defined as:
  • the spouse of any person who died of a service connected disability;

  • the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who has for more than 90 days been listed as missing in action or as a prisoner of war; or,

  • the spouse of any person who has a total and permanent disability resulting from a service connected disability or the spouse of a veteran who died while such a disability was in existence.

• DVOPs and LVERs may also provide Transition Assistance Program workshops to spouses of transitioning service members.

• While all One-Stop staff need to provide priority services to veterans, veteran customers should be encouraged to self-identify as early in the intake/registration process as possible and should be directed to DVOPs and LVERs for services. DVOPs and LVERs should serve veteran customers, including walk-ins, in a manner consistent with local customer flow processes. Services to veterans should not be on an “appointment only” basis. If a DVOP or LVER is temporarily unavailable, veteran customers should be directed to another One-Stop staff member for services and then be referred to a DVOP or LVER for future services. In locations where there is not a DVOP or LVER available, One-Stop staff must provide priority services to veterans. All local areas should ensure that this protocol is addressed in functional alignment plans and customer flow processes.

• DVOPs and LVERs bring many varied skills and expertise to the local public workforce system and would therefore be easily integrated into a variety of functional service teams within the One-Stop Center. Both DVOPs and LVERs provide a full range of employment services to veterans that are consistent with Level 1 services in OSOS, including staff-assisted core services and intensive services; and, would fit well as a member of those functional service teams that provide such services. In addition, LVERs have an employer outreach responsibility and, if assigned to the local functional service team with responsibilities for business services and job development, can provide added synergy and a level of expertise to the team. DVOPS also have extensive experience in providing intensive case management service to veterans with barriers to employment and will certainly bring a level of expertise and knowledge to the appropriate functional service team that is charged with providing intensive services.

• Protocol that applies to other local workforce staff pertaining to customer flow (walk-ins, appointments, etc.), assessment, Level 1 and Level 2 services and follow-up should also apply to vet staff. Vet staff should also be included in all appropriate staff development training opportunities offered to One-Stop staff.

• There are a few LVERs in New York State whose time is charged 50 percent to USDOL/VETS and 50 percent to other funds. These LVERs may provide services to the universal customer, but should do so only as they maintain flexibility to provide services to each veteran requesting them. It may be appropriate, therefore, for “half-time” LVERs to be assigned to teams that allow them to develop job opportunities for both veterans and the universal One-Stop customer, while also providing employment assistance to both groups.

DVOPs and LVERs should be functionally integrated within One-Stop Centers and should be included in functional alignment plans and customer flow processes. They should be assigned to functional teams in a manner that is consistent with their federally mandated roles and responsibilities.

Comments/Questions should be submitted to:

Cynthia.Boyle@labor.state.ny.us

It is anticipated that should the circumstances warrant, subsequent questions and answers will be issued and posted on the Workforce New York website at: www.workforcenewyork.org.