WASHINGTON — Uncle Sam wants to help veterans obtain a civilian job, and he’s willing to pay employers up to $9,600 to hire them.
President Barack Obama recently signed into law new veterans employment measures designed to get unemployed vets back to work and help recently separated military members make a successful transition to civilian life. The legislation is the combination of Republican- and Democrat-backed job proposals, and easily passed through Congress earlier this month.
Many of the provisions – an extra year’s worth of GI Bill benefits for 100,000 unemployed veterans, new unemployment benefits for disabled veterans, a revamp of the military’s transition assistance program – will take months to implement.
But the tax credits go into effect immediately, giving employers a financial incentive to hire applicants with military experience. Here’s how those tax credits break down:
- Veterans out of work at least one month: up to $2,400
- Veterans out of work at least six months: up to $5,600
- Disabled vets looking for work: up to $4,800
- Disabled vets out of work at least six months: up to $9,600
In August, White House officials estimated that the tax credits alone could help create more than 25,000 jobs for veterans in the next few years.
For more information you can contact Lowell Rice, Business Services Manager
Oakland Private Industry Council, Inc. Tel: 510-768-4466. Email: lrice@oaklandpic.org. www.eastbayworks.com/oakland.
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