A mission to hire veterans is always a noble one for any business to take up, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2025 toolkit on support for the US veteran workforce is an important resource to rely on. Last year, ahead of National Hire a Veteran Day and the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the DOL released some key resources for employers who wanted to recruit veterans, offering up clarity on aspects like disability accommodations and the benefits and strategies that employers could see on hiring from their ranks.
The resources are just as much a guide for veteran employees as they are for employers, giving both insights into how they can collaborate with each other. If your organization hasn’t reviewed the veteran employment rules already, it might be a good time to review them in preparation for any hiring plans in 2026.
If you’re keen to support the veteran workforce in the US, particularly those with disabilities, the DOL’s repository may provide some helpful guidelines. (Image: Pexels)
How to Support the US Veterans Workforce: The DOL Offers Some Insights
Developed by the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service and the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit is a repository of resources released on July 17, 2025, for employers and employees to use for the hiring of veterans returning to work. More specifically, it provides insights into the hiring of disabled veteran employees who might require additional support.
According to the DOL, over 5 million American veterans aged 18 or older have service-connected disabilities, and every year, around 200,000 service members, approximately 22,000 of whom have some type of disability, transition into civilian life and private sector employment. The employment rate for veterans stands at 79.8%, but it drops to 43.5% for those with disabilities.
Finding employment after returning to civilian life can be extremely difficult for veterans, particularly for those who return with injuries and disabilities and have to reacclimate to an entirely new lifestyle at once. Offering them support to transition back into private sector employment can help them redeploy their skills from the armed forces into entirely new areas, making it a strategy that’s well worth exploring.
What Does the DOL’s Employer Resources for Veterans Contain?
Designed to benefit veterans as well as employers, apprenticeship sponsors, and workforce development specialists who work to support disabled veterans in a new chapter in their lives, the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit begins with a list of resources for disabled veterans to use as a reference point for their own journey.
It includes job accommodations available to them and resources and tools for veterans on how to request accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during their employment search. It also includes specific disability and accommodation scenarios, such as how to navigate an anxiety disorder or conditions like a brain injury. Links lead to accommodation ideas for ways that they can be supported or request support in the workforce to enjoy a long and successful career.
What Employer Resources Do the Department of Labor’s Veterans Guidelines Provide?
Providing support for the US veteran workforce is an employer’s responsibility, and there is only so much that veteran workers can do to simplify their own employment journey. For employers, the toolkit offers insights on how to hire and retain disabled veteran workers. It offers a look at the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, details how it differs from the ADA, and lays out tax incentives available for employers who hire veterans. It also puts to rest some of the safety and financial concerns employers might have about hiring.
The toolkit prepares employees on how to understand and respond to disability accommodation requests from employees, which is an important resource for HR teams and employers to refer to while interacting with their employees. It also discusses some ways to reach the vets through apprenticeship programs, allowing employers to connect with the veterans looking for work.
Additionally, the veteran employment support system offers strategies to plan and structure a workplace’s hiring and onboarding processes to support applicants with disabilities. From job interview setups to self-identification procedures, there are many parts of the veteran hiring process that often get ignored in the planning stage. With the DOL’s regs for vets with disabilities laid out, it can be much easier to ensure that all aspects of the hiring process are covered with care before an organization reaches out to connect with disability agencies and networks to look into recruiting workers.
The Department of Labor’s Guide to Hiring Veterans Is an Important Resource for HR to Keep in Mind
When it comes to offering support for the US veteran workforce, it’s important to cover all grounds before initiating a hiring or assistance program. For businesses that want to look into expanding their workforce, veteran job boards and apprenticeship programs are a great way to connect with talent, but it is important to strategize and lay the groundwork before jumping straight into recruitment.
Not only does this ensure that veterans are onboarded correctly, but it also helps them transition and stay on at their first jobs with success. Reports from earlier this year suggested that veterans are prone to leaving their first jobs after completing their enlistment, and this puts further strain on their well-being and resources. Carefully constructing a program that caters to their needs guarantees better retention and allows an organization to play a more active role in supporting the community they operate within.
What do you think about the existing resources available to support the veteran workforce in the US? Share your thoughts with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on how to build a community while you build your workforce.
