The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the launch of the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit, a resource aimed at increasing employment rates and participation in apprenticeship programs for American veterans with disabilities.
Released ahead of National Hire a Veteran Day and the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the toolkit supports the Trump Administration’s goals to combat the cost-of-living crisis and expand the number of Registered Apprenticeships to one million new active apprentices nationally.
Developed by the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service and the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit offers tips and strategies on ways to enhance workplace supports and accommodations designed to facilitate the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of disabled American veterans in apprenticeship and other employment settings. The toolkit includes resources that not only help disabled veterans, but also benefit employers, apprenticeship sponsors, and workforce development specialists.
“Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to secure our freedoms,” said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “One of the most meaningful ways we can honor their service is by increasing employment opportunities for all veterans, including the disabled. By supporting our distinguished veterans through Registered Apprenticeships and other job opportunities, the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit will ensure they have every tool at their disposal to build valuable skills, earn a paycheck, and provide for themselves and their families.”
Currently, more than 5 million American veterans aged 18 or older have service-connected disabilities. Each year, roughly 200,000 service members – including approximately 22,000 who have some type of disability – transition to the private sector and many remain unemployed after transition. The employment rate for working-age veterans with disabilities is 43.5%, compared to 79.8% for nondisabled veterans. The toolkit aims to help close this employment gap and get skilled, capable Americans back into the workforce.
