Blog Post

New Veterans’ Unemployment Rate Remains High
Posted by Bryan Maxwell on October 8 2010

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released their jobs report for the month of September, and the economic situation for new veterans continues to look bleak. 

Numbers you need to know:

• 10.2 percent: Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans’ unemployment rate in September. 
• 9.6 percent: national unemployment rate in September. 
• 11.8 percent: average unemployment rate of new veterans during the first nine months of 2010.

Economic Bites from IAVA’s Research Team: 

Last month, Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans continued to suffer from high unemployment. Approximately 190,000 new veterans are out of work and looking for jobs. This pattern has continued for more than two years now as unemployment rates for new veterans remain disproportionately high and have continued to rise. In 2008, the average unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans was 7.3 percent: last year, this number rose to 10.2 percent. The first nine months of 2010 indicate we’re in for an even worse year with the average rate hovering at approximately 11.8 percent. If this current rate holds, it will spell record unemployment for new veterans.  

This is unacceptable. 

Veterans' employment is one of IAVA’s  top priorities:

• On Capitol Hill Representatives Walz (MN-1) and Boozman (AR-3) and Senators Baucus and Grassley introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize employers to hire veterans through a simplified tax credit.  Meanwhile, Senator Murray and Representative Adam Smith (WA-9) introduced a comprehensive veterans employment bill which includes job training and employment pilot programs. These bills will bring some much-needed relief to unemployed veterans and IAVA proudly supports them both. Unfortunately, Congress went home early and these bills remain floating in the ether. When Congress returns IAVA will continue to pressure them to pass this legislation.  Click here to read IAVA's Issue Report on veterans' employment: Careers After Combat.
• In the private sector, IAVA has partnered with JCPenney and JA Apparel Corp. to introduce “Welcome Home Joe,” a national campaign to provide Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with thousands of free business outfits to help them successfully transition from the military to the workforce.   IAVA has also partnered with Microsoft for a historic and innovative program to provide essential job training for America's heroes.
• Inside Community of Veterans, our online social network exclusively for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, job listings and unemployment resources are updated on a regular basis, connecting veterans with opportunities across the country. If you're an OIF/OEF Veteran, click here to learn more and join the community.

Finding jobs for vets may not steal as many headlines as financial reform or the pre-election campaign news-cycle, but, it is an issue that impacts every sector of our country, from the economy to national security.

IAVA will keep fighting on this issue for the rest of the year and into the 112th Congress. With your continued support, we can ensure that veterans won’t come home to an unemployment check, but to a job that pays the bills and that they can be proud to call their own.

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