HIRE Vets Examples of Excellence for Integration Assistance Criteria

HIRE Vets Medallion Program – Examples of Excellence for Integration Assistance Criteria

Employee veteran organization or resource group

Through our resource group we provide mentoring to incoming veteran employees by partnering each new hire with an experienced employee. This “buddy” acclimates them to our company culture and explains what resources are available to help with their transition. We also offer monthly coaching sessions, led by senior staff with military backgrounds, to members of the resource group. These efforts help ensure that all new veteran employees are fully integrated into the workplace from day one.

Leadership skills program

We offer self-paced leadership skills training to all staff through our online professional development portal. The mix of courses offers something for every employee, from entry level to executive level. We also hold quarterly leadership seminars so employees can learn directly from their peers. In addition, we sponsor staff who want to pursue project management certifications. By investing in the professional development of our people, we are helping develop the next generation of leaders for our company.

Dedicated human resources professional(s) (Large Employer Platinum Award only)

Our HR department includes one staff member dedicated to addressing the unique needs of veteran employees and job seekers. This individual oversees the recruiting and hiring of veterans and personally visits several veteran-focused job fairs each year to meet candidates. They also help coordinate training for new veteran employees to make sure they have the skills they need to excel. Finally, they check in regularly with our veteran employees to make sure their needs are met, which helps promote retention.

Human resources veterans’ initiative (Medium and Small Employer Platinum Awards only)

Our HR staff all play an active role in helping support our veteran employees and bringing more veterans into the company. This includes posting all openings to online job boards popular with veterans so that our recruiting efforts will reach as many veterans as possible. Once a veteran is hired, our HR staff help them receive training appropriate to their new position. HR staff are also responsible for monitoring the job satisfaction of our veteran employees. These efforts help keep turnover low among our veterans.

Pay differential

We support our veteran employees every step of the way, whether they are at one of our worksites or off on a deployment. As such, when our employees in the National Guard and Reserve are called up to active duty, we pay their full pay on top of their military pay for up to two weeks. After that they receive the difference between their military pay and their civilian pay for as long as they are on active duty. We also make sure deployed employees are aware of opportunities for advancement while they are away.

Tuition assistance program

Our tuition assistance program offers employees reimbursement of up to $5,500 annually with a lifetime limit of $22,000 for any accredited degree, continuing education, or technical training approved as work-relevant by our benefits department. Covered costs include tuition as well as related expenses such as books and administrative fees. Reimbursement is contingent on completing the course and earning a B- grade or higher. We are proud to offer this benefit to both our full-time and part-time employees.