EEOC issues two guides on employing disabled veterans

After disabled veterans returning from places like Iraq and Afghanistan are treated for their wounds and injuries, the next step for them is to find suitable employment.

Two federal laws contain provisions designed to help injured veterans compete in the workplace: The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Title I of the ADA is administered by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The USERRA is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The EEOC recently issued two guides providing assistance for employers and veterans on workplace issues affecting veterans with service-connected disabilities. Both are available at www.eeoc.gov. The guides explain how protections differ under both laws and are presented in a question-and-answer format.

In a press release, EEOC Chairman Naomi Earp stated: “Members of the military who have bravely sacrificed for America should never have to come home and face unlawful employment obstacles because of a service-connected disability.” She also expressed the overall goal that injured veterans deserve to compete on a level playing field, along with everyone else.

EEOC legal counsel Reed L. Russell is also cited in the press release as endorsing the release of these two documents. He said these guides will provide valuable assistance to returning wounded veterans and employers.

The first guide shows how the ADA applies to certain aspects of employing disabled veterans such as recruiting, hiring and accommodating these veterans with service-connected disabilities.

The second document highlights protections for disabled veterans seeking to return to their former jobs or those aiming for their first or new civilian jobs. It explains adjustments possibly needed to perform a job or to attain equal access to the workplace.

Both of these guides contain lists of resources that describe how to obtain more information on the ADA and the USERRA. These lists include public and private organizations that can assist employers seeking to recruit and hire disabled veterans.

Vero Beach Press-Journal