With the troop draw down in the Middle East, employers have a new labor pool of returning veterans. Many are coming home with physical injuries or "invisible" psychological disabilities, and employers need to remember these veterans are protected against job discrimination by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Common injuries employers can expect in returning soldiers include missing limbs, burns, spinal cord injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hearing loss, and traumatic brain injuries. Veteran support organizations like the DVNF have put resources in place to help employers successfully hire and retain disabled veterans.
"There are many resources available to employers to hire, train and support veteran employees with disabilities so that both the employer women's jackets and veteran can be successful," said Raegan Rivers, Chief Administrative Officer of DVNF. "Employers need our help understanding what they are required by law to do, but also how they can help their veteran employees be successful through providing them the proper workspace and environment to increase their productivity."
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has two publications to help veterans and employers: Understanding Your Employment Rights Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A Guide for Veterans (Veterans' Guide) and Veterans and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A Guide for Employers (Employers' Guide).
Both publications are set up in a question and answer format and address ADA coverage and provide specific guidance on requesting and providing reasonable accommodation. The DVNF also has employment resources available on its website.
About Disabled Veterans National Foundation: The Disabled Veterans National Foundation exists to change the lives of men and women who came home wounded or sick after defending our safety and our freedom. A nonprofit 501c3, DVNF was founded in the fall of 2007 by six women veterans to expand their scope of work within the veteran's community. The DVNF has provided $16.1 million in cash and requested items such as clothing, food, health & hygiene products to tens of thousands of under-served & disabled veterans nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.dvnf.org
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