EEOC issues new guidelines on veteran employment

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued two revised publications addressing issues regarding veterans with disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA.

Both documents are available on the agency's website at www.eeoc.gov.

These reflect changes to the law stemming from the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which make it easier for veterans with a wide range of impairments, such as traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, to get needed reasonable accommodations that will enable them to work successfully.

The Guide for Employers explains how protections for veterans with service-connected disabilities differ under the ADA and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, and how employers can prevent disability-based discrimination and provide reasonable accommodations.

The Guide for Wounded Veterans answers questions that veterans with service-related disabilities may have about the protections they enjoy when they seek to return to their former jobs or look for civilian jobs.

The publication also explains the kinds of accommodations that may be necessary to help veterans with disabilities obtain and successfully maintain employment.