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Employment Services & Rights


Veterans Job Representatives

Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER) and Disabled Veterans Outreach Person (DVOP) are located statewide in the larger employment offices of the Utah Dept. of Workforce Services.  They provide intensive employment related services for targeted veterans: referral to job opportunities, resume writing, referral letters, veteran’s preference, employment counseling, etc.  (Utah Code Vol 2 Section 35.)

Utah Department of Work Force Services has several programs available for Veterans of all era’s visit http://jobs.utah.gov/jobseeker/veterans/dwsdefault.asp for more information and a list of Veterans Representatives.

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Veterans Employment Rights


Veterans Hiring Preferences in Federal and State Employment
By federal law, veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans both in hiring into the Federal civil service and in retention during reduction in force. Veterans may be entitled to 5 or 10 points included in any scoring process for examination or interviews;

5-points Hiring Preference:

  • Service was during the period December 7, 1941 to July 1, 1955; or
  • Service was for more than 180 consecutive days, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976; or
  • Service was in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized, including Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia (Desert Shield/Storm).

10-points Hiring Preference

(added to the passing score or interview of);

A veteran who served at any time and who (1) has a present service-connected disability or (2) is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

  • Individuals who received a Purple Heart qualify as disabled.
  • An honorable or general discharge is necessary;
  • Military retirees at the rank of Major, Lieutenant commander, or higher are not eligible for preference unless they are disabled veterans.
  • Guard or Reserve active duty for training purposes do not qualify for preference.

STATE:
Utah Law regarding veterans preference is contained in Utah Code, Volume 3, Title 71 Chapter 10, (1992). This code applies to (2) State "Government entity" which means the state and any city, county, municipality, special district, or any other political subdivision or administrative unit of the state.

Utah law counterparts federal codes with the following distinctions;

  • Each government entity shall grant a veteran’s preference to each eligible veteran or preference eligible spouse according to the procedures and requirements of this chapter.
  • The personnel officer of any government entity shall add to the score of a preference eligible who receives a passing score on an examination, or an rating or ranking mechanism used in selecting an individual for any career position with the government entity:
    • five points, if he/she is a veteran
    • ten points, if a disabled veteran; or
    • in the case of a preference eligible widow or widower, the number of points the qualified veteran would have been entitled to.

A preference eligible veteran who is 30% or more disabled shall be placed on the appropriate register or list ahead of others having the same rating.
A preference eligible who applies for a position that does not require an examination shall be given preference in interviewing and hiring for the position.
(Utah Code Vol 3, Section 71).

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Veterans Reemployment Rights - Federal

Veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserves may be eligible for reemployment with their civilian employers if they meet certain requirements under the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).  USERRA also provides protection against discrimination in employment because of service in the uniformed services (Title 38, chap 43 USC). Inquiries regarding reemployment rights should be directed to the U.S.D.L., Veterans Employment & Training Services (801-524-5703)  (Utah Code Vol 3, Section 67 & USERRA federal Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act, as amended.)

Military Leave - State of Utah

Utah state, county or municipal government employees, who are members of the organized reserve/ national guard, are allowed full pay* for 15 days of military leave per year for annual military encampment.  Military leave is in addition to and distinguished from annual accrued vacation leave with pay.  (Utah Code Vol 3 Section 67 & USERRA federal Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act.) *Some exceptions apply; see local Human Resources Rep for details.

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WHY Hire A Vet? Information for Employeers


12 GOOD REASONS Why The Military Is Your Best Source For Highly Qualified And Experienced Employees

  1. Military veterans are graduates of the world's largest system of specialized professional and technical training schools, those operated by the Department of Defense.
  2. Veterans of active duty military service are one of the nation's most important sources of well-educated, highly trained and strongly motivated employees who possess a wide range of technical and professional skills.
  3. Since all of the major military operating systems - command and control, administrative, logistics, intelligence, weapons, etc., are highly computerized, a majority of military members are trained in the use and management of computer systems.
  4. The modern, high-tech armed forces demand an ever-rising level of technical skills and educational standards to operate and maintain more complex systems than ever before. In line with these requirements the services are recruiting and re-enlisting only the most highly qualified applicants. And technical training in the military is on the cutting edge of advanced technology.
  5. 92 percent of active duty military personnel in the United States use computers at their places of duty. Computer systems are ubiquitous at military offices and work sites.
  6. U.S. military members have experience in a broad range-of computer systems: 73 percent use desktop computers; 43 percent use computer work stations; 51 percent use LAN systems; 22 percent use client/server networks; 17 percent use mainframe computers and 13 percent use minicomputers.
  7. 40 percent of military personnel in the U.S. have job assignments that involve information resource management. They include computer operators, programmers, system analysts, LAN specialists, MIS managers -- the whole range of computer skills.
  8. Because of a big push for quality in new recruits during the post-cold war years, the current military is the most highly educated in history. More than 98 percent of all service members are high school graduates and over 36 percent have graduated or attended college.
  9. Another big plus that veterans offer employers is that their military training has produced a more mature and responsible employee compared with employees who have no military experience. Military members are given great responsibility and leadership roles early in their careers. A new enlisted soldier, for example, progresses to Corporal in about two years and assumes the responsibilities of Sergeant's rank in three or four years. At each level the service member is responsible for the performance and well-being of larger and larger numbers of troops.
  10. Military veterans are accustomed to assuming high levels of responsibility for the employer's property. Relatively young service people are responsible for thousands- even millions of dollars worth of government property: computer systems, tanks, planes, fleets of vehicles, etc. This level of responsibility hastens the maturation of service personnel and makes them seasoned leaders and managers.
  11. The military is one of the most demanding professions in the world. The rigorous military training each service member receives produces highly motivated individuals who set high goals for themselves. They strive to excel -"to be all they can be". Military training and experience instill a mindset oriented to working toward an objective until it is achieved, no matter how difficult the challenge. The competitive military environment demands that they be winners. When you hire former military people, this winners' psychology can be harnessed to the task of achieving the goals of your company.

    Over 200,000 of these well trained and highly qualified personnel will be leaving the military during 1998. They will be seeking jobs that will take advantage of their experience and their finely honed technical skills. The vast majority of them have held jobs that involved the use of computers and many have information resources management experience. They can be a great asset to your company.

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