38 U.S.C. § 4104: Local veterans’ employment representatives

Subject to approval by the Secretary, a State shall employ such full- and part-time local veterans’ employment representatives as the State determines appropriate and efficient to carry out employment, training, and placement services under this chapter. conduct outreach to employers in the area to assist veterans in gaining employment, including conducting seminars for employers and, in conjunction with employers, conducting job search workshops and establishing job search groups; and facilitate employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans in a State under the applicable State employment service delivery systems. To qualified service-connected disabled veterans. If no veteran described in paragraph (1) is available, to qualified eligible veterans. If no veteran described in paragraph (1) or (2) is available, then to qualified eligible persons. A part-time local veterans’ employment representative shall perform the functions of a local veterans’ employment representative under this section on a half-time basis. A full-time local veterans’ employment representative shall perform only duties related to the employment, training, and placement services under this chapter, and shall not perform other non-veteran-related duties that detract from the representative’s ability to perform the representative’s duties related to employment, training, and placement services under this chapter. The Secretary shall conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with paragraph (1). If, on the basis of such an audit, the Secretary determines that a State is not in compliance with paragraph (1), the Secretary may reduce the amount of a grant made to the State under section 4102A(b)(5) of this title . Each local veterans’ employment representative shall be administratively responsible to the manager of the employment service delivery system and shall provide reports, not less frequently than quarterly, to the manager of such office and to the Director for Veterans’ Employment and Training for the State regarding compliance with Federal law and regulations with respect to special services and priorities for eligible veterans and eligible persons. In order to assess the effects on the timeliness and quality of services to veterans resulting from re-focusing the staff resources of local veterans’ employment representatives, the Secretary of Labor may conduct a pilot program under which the primary responsibilities of local veterans’ employment representatives will be case management and the provision and facilitation of direct employment and training services to veterans. To implement the pilot program, the Secretary of Labor may suspend or limit application of those provisions of chapter 41 of title 38, United States Code (other than subsections (b)(1) and (c) of section 4104) that pertain to the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative Program in States designated by the Secretary under subsection (d), except that the Secretary may use the authority of such chapter, as the Secretary may determine, in conjunction with the authority of this section, to carry out the pilot program. The Secretary may collect such data as the Secretary considers necessary for assessment of the pilot program. The Secretary shall measure and evaluate on a continuing basis the effectiveness of the pilot program in achieving its stated goals in general, and in achieving such goals in relation to their cost, their effect on related programs, and their structure and mechanisms for delivery of services. Within the pilot program, eligible veterans who are among groups most in need of intensive services, including disabled veterans, economically disadvantaged veterans, and veterans separated within the previous four years from active military, naval, or air service shall be given priority for service by local veterans’ employment representatives. Priority for the provision of service shall be given first to disabled veterans and then to the other categories of veterans most in need of intensive services in accordance with priorities determined by the Secretary of Labor in consultation with appropriate State labor authorities. The pilot program shall be limited to not more than five States to be designated by the Secretary of Labor. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Oct. 9, 1996 ], the Secretary of Labor shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives an interim report describing in detail the development and implementation of the pilot program on a State by State basis. Not later than 120 days after the expiration of this section under subsection (h), the Secretary of Labor shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a final report evaluating the results of the pilot program and make recommendations based on the evaluation, which may include legislative recommendations. The term ‘veteran’ has the meaning given such term by section 101(2) of title 38 , United States Code. The term ‘disabled veteran’ has the meaning given such term by section 4211(3) of such title. The term ‘active military, naval, or air service’ has the meaning given such term by section 101(24) of such title. Any amount otherwise available for fiscal year 1997, 1998, or 1999 to carry out section 4102A(b)(5) of title 38 , United States Code, with respect to a State designated by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to subsection (d) shall be available to carry out the pilot program during that fiscal year with respect to that State. The authority to carry out the pilot program under this section shall expire on October 1, 1999 .”