United States Department of Labor And U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP

1. United States Department of Labor And U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP)

2. VRAP One of the programs and activities authorized by the VOW To Hire Heroes Act, enacted on November 21, 2011 A collaborative partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Labor (DOL) Targets a specific category of Veterans Provides participants VA educational benefits for up to one year of Vocational Training

3. VRAP Approved Training VA approved VRAP education/vocational education programs must: Be in one of the “high demand occupations” identified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics A list of high demand occupations will be available on the VA website at http://benefits/va.gov/vow and click on VRAP Applicants must have their selection prior to submitting VONAPP application at http://www.va.gov Be offered by a community college, vocational or technical school Lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certification

4. VRAPEligibility To be eligible for VRAP benefits, applicants must be: at least 35 but no more than 60 years old cannot have reached their 61st birthday before training commences; unemployed as of the submission date of the application (self-attestation by each veteran); ineligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g., the Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment); and, submitting an application before Oct. 1, 2013.

5. VRAP Eligibility To be eligible for VRAP Veterans must NOT be: in receipt of a dishonorable discharge for their last period of military service; in receipt of VA disability compensation due to Individual Unemployability (IU); or, enrolled in a Federal or state funded job training program currently or within the previous 180 days.

6. VRAP Program Duration The program will run from July 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014. Applications will not be accepted after October 1, 2013) Approximately 99,000 veterans will be served under the VRAP Up to 45,000 between July 1, 2012 thru Sept. 30, 2012 Up to 55,000 between Oct. 1, 2012 and Sept. 30, 2013

7. Applying for VRAP How and where Veterans may apply …. On-line at the VA’s VONAPP (Virtual On-Line Application) Site. See ‘quick list’ at www.va.gov Assistance will also be available through the resource rooms in the One Stop Career Center System in each State and can be found at http://www.servicelocator.org Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Specialists (DVOP); Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER); Wagner-Peyser funded staff or other One-Stop staff; and One-Stop Partner agencies and community colleges.

8. VONAPP

9. One Stop Role in VRAP One-Stop Center Staff will: Advise interested veterans in the VRAP Assist them to understand VRAP eligibility Assist them to determine LMI for those fields selected Identify “high demand occupations” approved for VRAP “high demand” does not always indicate that jobs are available in any given geographical location or time. For those veterans who complete the training or terminate early, One-Stop Center Staff will: Contact individuals within 30 days to provide assistance Assist Veterans who do not find their own jobs to do so DOL and the VA are working out the notification process

10. Denial letter • Date: May 22, 2012Dear Angela M Mauldin: Based on the information provided on your application, the Department of Labor has determined that you are not eligible to participate in the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). You have not met the following criteria for the VRAP: • The applicant must be unemployed as of the application date;If the Department of Labor determines the applicant is eligible for assistance under these factors, the application is forwarded to the Department of Veterans Affairs for its own eligibility determination according to additional criteria. (See the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, Title II of Public Law 112-56, section 211(e). However, based on the information your application provided regarding the above four factors, the Department of Labor has determined that you are not eligible for the VRAP. If you would like to pursue other training besides VRAP, you may contact the manager of the One-Stop Career Center nearest you for assistance. You can find the nearest One-Stop Career Center by calling 1-877-US2-JOBS (1.877.872.5627) toll-free, or by going to http://www.servicelocator.org/. The One-Stop Career Center may help you to locate training programs or employment that suits your needs. You can also ask to speak to a Local Veterans' Employment Representative (LVER) about available employment services. If you disagree with this decision and still wish to pursue training through the VRAP, you may file an appeal of the Department of Labor's determination with the Director for Veterans' Employment and Training (DVET) assigned to the state in which you applied. Staff at the One-Stop Career Center can provide you with the address of the DVET for your State or you can visit www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/contacts/main.htm for a staff directory by State. To file an appeal, you must write a letter to the DVET explaining why you disagree with the determination that you are ineligible according to the above four criteria. Appeals must be filed within 60 days of receipt of this letter. The DVET will review your appeal and provide you with a written decision. The DVET's decision on appeal constitutes final agency action. Sincerely, John K. MoranDeputy Assistant SecretaryVeterans Employment and Training Service

11. Tracking VRAP Applicants Veterans found ‘not eligible’ for VRAP can: File an appeal with the appropriate VETS State Director Seek job or training assistance through the One-Stop Career Center system Angela Mauldin, US DOL VETS mauldin.angela@dol.gov or 813-375-3999 Additional information can be found at: www.dol.gov/vets www.doleta.gov http://benefits.va.gov/vow

12. Discussion. Questions?