Business and Entrepreneurship

Employer Support

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The NYC Department of Veterans' Services (DVS) supports businesses and organizations that hire veterans. DVS connects employers to resources that will help the service member on their staff succeed in their post-military careers:

Connect to employer support services by filling out the form on our Contact page:

Request Services

See below for a list of employer support resources:

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Hire a Veteran

Employers looking to hire a veteran can post a job opportunity on the EmpireVets employer webpage .
The United States Department of Veteran Affairs developed a Veterans Employment Toolkit with additional resources for employers, managers, and human resource professionals.
PsychArmor offers online courses for employers looking to support veterans in the workplace. These online courses cover a variety of topics, reviewing resumes, interviewing veterans, and creating a work environment that supports veteran employees.

Tax Credit for Hiring a Veteran

Federal Tax Credit

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individuals from certain targeted groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment, including qualified veterans.

A “qualified veteran” is a veteran who is any of the following:

A member of a family receiving assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (food stamps) for at least 3 months during the first 15 months of employment.
Unemployed for a period totaling at least 4 weeks (whether or not consecutive) but less than 6 months in the 1-year period ending on the hiring date.
Unemployed for a period totaling at least 6 months (whether or not consecutive) in the 1-year period ending on the hiring date.
A disabled veteran entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability hired not more than one year after being discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
A disabled veteran entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability who is unemployed for a period totaling at least six months (whether or not consecutive) in the one-year period ending on the hiring date.

NYS Tax Credit

A NYS tax credit is available to businesses who

hire a qualified veteran who began his or her employment on or after January 1, 2014, but before January 1, 2022; and
employs the qualified veteran in New York State for one year or more for at least 35 hours each week

Businesses can claim the credit in the tax year in which the qualified veteran completes one year of employment. The credit may be claimed for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, but before January 1, 2023.

Support for Employers with Active-Duty Employees

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) informs and educates service members and their civilian employers regarding their rights and responsibilities governed by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.
Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan covers additional expenses that a business incurs because one or more of its employees has been activated by the Reserve or Guard.
The Unemployed/Underemployed Worker Training (UWT) Program awards funding for occupational skills training to unemployed/underemployed workers to qualify them for full-time employment (35-hours per week or more); part-time employment; and/or a higher level of employment.

The method of selection for the UWT program will be based on a point system, with the Program Design worth 80% of the total score and the Program Cost worth 20% of the total score. Additional points in scoring will be given to applications that train unemployed/ underemployed individuals in priority populations, including veterans.

UWT Program Awards may not exceed $250,000 per applicant.

Eligible Applicants:
- For-profit entities, including corporations, LLCs, LLPs, etc. with two or more employees or the equivalent of two full-time employees
- Not-for-profit entities with two or more employees or the equivalent of two or more full-time employees
- Municipalities with two or more employees or the equivalent of two full-time employees; and

Support a Veteran Employee in Crisis

The Mental Health First Aid training provides proven practices to help you recognize the early signs and symptoms of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies.
DVS has helped to create a veteran-specific version of Mental Health First Aid training, designed to address the unique mental health challenges veterans may experience. Employers who participate in the training will learn how to provide support to a veteran employee experiencing a mental health crisis.

After completing the training, you receive a three-year certification in Mental Health First Aid. Each course lasts eight hours. The trainings are scheduled regularly in all five boroughs, even on weekends.

To register for a veteran/military service member Mental Health First Aid training course, email connect@veterans.nyc.gov or call 212-416-5250.