Veterans' Employment and Training Service 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) of the Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is issuing this final rule to implement priority of service in qualified job training programs prescribed in section 2(a)(1) of the Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA). DOL issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on August 15, 2008 outlining proposed provisions implementing priority of service for covered persons in qualified DOL job training programs.

In this rulemaking, the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) is correcting and consolidating the text in parts A and B of the appendix to 20 CFR part 1002 (``Notice of Your Rights Under USERRA''). VETS published the appendix on March 10, 2005 in response to the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 (VBIA). The VBIA amended the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) by requiring employers to notify affected employees of the rights, benefits, and obligations of employees and employers under USERRA. As published, the text of the required USERRA rights notice included information about a temporary demonstration project established under the VBIA that called for VETS to transfer to the Office of Special Counsel some claims brought against Federal executive agencies. The demonstration project ended on December 31, 2007. This rulemaking is therefore deleting this outdated reference from the text of the USERRA rights notice. In addition, this rulemaking is consolidating the text in parts A and B of the required USERRA rights notice to eliminate the need for separate notices for Federal and non- Federal agency employers. This rulemaking does not require employers to replace the notices currently in use because, even without this correction and consolidation, the current notices comply with the USERRA employee-notification requirements.

The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) continues to support local Stand Down events that assist homeless veterans and is now accepting applications for Stand Down grant awards. A Stand Down is an event held in a local community where homeless veterans are provided with a wide variety of social services. Under this announcement, VETS anticipates that up to $400,000 will be available in each of the three fiscal years for grant awards of up to a maximum of $10,000 per multi-day event (more than one day), and a maximum of $7,000 for a one (1) day event. VETS expects to award approximately forty-five (45) grants each fiscal year. Availability of Fiscal Year 2009, and Fiscal Year 2010 funds will be dependent upon Congressional appropriations. Applications for Stand Down funds will be accepted from State Workforce Agencies and State and local Workforce Investment Boards, Veterans Service Organizations (VSO), local public agencies, and non-profit organizations, including community and faith- based organizations. USDOL is not authorized to award grant funds to organizations that are registered with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(4) organization. Application for Stand Down grant funding are to be submitted to the appropriate State Director of Veterans Employment and Training/ Grant Officer Technical Representative (DVET/GOTR). Address and contact information for each State DVET/GOTR can be found at Web site address: https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/contacts/main.htm. To be considered for FY-2008 funding, applications must be received within thirty (30) days of this announcement. This will allow for obligation of funds prior to 9/30/08. Any events approved in Fiscal Year 2008 must be held prior to 12/31/08. Applications for other events planned in Fiscal Year 2009 must be received at least sixty (60) days prior to the event and no later than July 30, 2009. Applications for events planned in Fiscal Year 2010 must be received at least sixty (60) days prior to the event and no later than July 30, 2010.