Benefits for Unemployed Veterans

By Paul Bright

When a military member completes his enlistment, is involuntarily separated or retires, it can be difficult for him to find work. Some jobs in the military are important for service but not necessarily translatable in the civilian world. The federal government has recognized this fact since the end of Word War II and has created several different programs and ways for unemployed veterans to get help via special benefits.

For employment preferences purposes, the Veterans Administration considers a veteran as someone who has been honorably discharged after serving at least 2 years if enlisted after 1982 or 180 consecutive days between 1955 and 1976. A soldier is also considered a veteran if he served during an official war as declared by Congress, which was last done for World War II. State definitions for various unemployment-related programs can change, but most are founded on this definition and require a DD-214 as proof of service.

The Federal government does not process any unemployment compensation for veterans. It utilizes the states as an agent to distribute the program. For California, unemployed veterans can file for insurance programs once they are discharged. Veterans could receive weekly benefits for up to 6 months while not employed full-time. These benefits would equal an amount based on length of service and pay received at the time of separation.

While unemployed, veterans do not have to rely solely on themselves to find part-time or permanent jobs. Many federal and state agencies offer assistance and preferences for veterans. In Florida, unemployed veterans are compensated by the state for performing part-time jobs such as collecting donated cars or working temporary labor. California has a requirement for state jobs to consider a "veterans only" pool of applicants for at least 24 hours before looking at other applications. North Carolina extends re-employment rights to veterans who are called to serve.

Unemployed veterans who are being initially hired for state jobs can also receive preference points in their applications. Idaho gives a 5-point preference to veterans who have been honorably discharged from service. 10 points are awarded to veterans with at least a Purple Heart or 10 percent service-connected disability. If veterans have a disability rating of at least 30 percent with honorable discharge and are one of the top 10 qualified applicants, they automatically receive an interview for the job.

Unemployment benefits aren't just for the veterans themselves. Spouses and widows of veterans can also receive help from federal and state governments. Arkansas extends preferences on applications for widows applying for state agency jobs. Idaho awards the same interview preferences for widows and spouses as they do for veterans with 30 percent service-connected disabilities. Widows are also eligible for vocational rehabilitation programs run by the VA.

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