WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Priority of Service for Veterans

Florida shall ensure priority of service to eligible veterans and covered persons in its program delivery and services that are directly funded in whole or part, by the Department of Labor, in accordance with all federal guidance letters and notices, including 20 CRF Part 1010, Employment and Training Administration’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 10-09, and Training and Employment Notice 15-10. Florida ensures the provision of priority of service with the following:

• All career center staff are trained to screen and identify potential covered persons. The question “Have you or a spouse ever served in the U.S. military?” is asked of every individual upon initial visit in the career center
• Signage notifying covered persons to identify are displayed at every intake counter in the career centers
• Veterans and covered persons who register in Employ Florida receive a pop-up message that ensure these newly registered veterans and covered persons are aware of their
• Employ Florida notification of priority of service is documented by an automated service code 089
• Staff are trained to inform veterans and covered persons entitlement to priority of service and the scope and types of services available under priority of service and manually document this service in Employ Florida with service code 189
• LVER staff are fully integrated into the CareerSource Career Center network and provide priority of service training to all career center staff

Key Definitions

• Covered person – The regulations adopt and apply this statutory term, which includes eligiblespouses.

• Veteran – The regulations specify that the definition for veteran specified at 38 U.S.C. s. 101(2) applies across all qualified job training programs for the purpose of priority of service.

The definition includes two key criteria:

• Service in the active military, naval, or air service

• Discharge under conditions other than dishonorable

Eligible veterans and covered persons identified at the point of entry shall be notified of programs and/or services available. Point of entry includes physical locations, such as CareerSource Florida career centers, as well as websites and other virtual service delivery resources.

Implementation

LWDBs will ensure their local plan provides clear strategies and policies for providing veterans and covered persons with the highest quality of service at every phase of services offered. Policies shall be implemented to ensure eligible veterans and covered persons are aware of:

• Their entitlement to priority of service

• The full array of programs and services available to them

• Any applicable eligibility requirements for those programs and/or services

Priority of Service means the right of eligible veterans and covered persons to take precedence over eligible non-covered persons for the receipt of employment, training and placement services provided under new or existing qualified job training programs. Eligible veterans and covered persons shall receive access to the service or resources before non-covered persons. If the service or resource is limited, the veteran or covered person shall receive access to the service or resource instead of or before the non-covered person. Services can range from basic functions of the CareerSource Florida network, such as assistance with job search and identification of needed skills, to more customized initiatives, such as creating career pathways with corresponding competency assessments and training opportunities.

Monitoring Priority of Service

DEO, in coordination with the Florida USDOL Director of Veterans Employment and Training (DVET), conducts on-site technical assistance for the LWDBs to review local implementation of priority of service. In accordance with U.S.C. § 4104(f), LWDBs must submit a Veterans Quarterly Manager’s Report (VQMR) to DEO each quarter regarding compliance with Federal law and regulations with respect to special services and priorities for eligible veterans and eligible persons. The VQMR requires the LWDB to explain, in writing, how they are implementing priority of service at the local level.  These reports are monitored by the DEO State Veterans’ Program Coordinator.  Additionally, DEO ensures LWDBs compliance with priority of service in accordance with 20 CFR 1010 as part of annual programmatic monitoring.  

​​​​​​​Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE)

Service delivery for SBE veterans starts at the initial point of entry into the CareerSource Career Center where the first person the veteran encounters will be a non-JVSG staff member trained in all aspects of the career center and services available to the veteran. This staff member will conduct an initial assessment using a questionnaire that has been developed in accordance with federal guidance to determine the level and type of service needed.

If the veteran, or other eligible person, is deemed to have an SBE and has a need for enhanced services, he/she is referred to the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist for individualized career services. DVOPs work only with Veterans or eligible spouses with an SBE as outlined in VPL 03-14, with subsequent additions in VPL 04-14 and VPL 08-14.

If a DVOP specialist is not available, the client shall be referred to the first available career center staff assigned to provide individualized career services. Services received by the veteran or eligible spouse shall be the same services he or she would receive if a DVOP were available. 

The Administrative Policy for Veterans’ Initial Intake Process at American Job Centers is available at: http://www.floridajobs.org/local-workforce-development-board-resources/policy-and-guidance/guidance-papers