The HIRE Vets Act passed in 2017 established a program where the Secretary of Labor recognizes employer efforts to recruit, employ and retain veterans. Winquest Engineering Corporation is proud to be recognized at the highest “Platinum” level in the category of small employers (50 or fewer employees).

The awards are based on the following criteria, though they do not require the employer to satisfy all of them:

  1. Percentage of new hires during the previous year that are veterans;
  2. Percentage of veteran employees retained for a period of at least 12 months;
  3. Percentage of employees who are veterans;
  4. Provision of an employee veteran organization or resource group to assist new veteran employees with integration, including coaching and mentoring;
  5. Provision of programs to enhance the leadership skills of veteran employees during their employment;
  6. Employment of a dedicated human resources professional or initiatives to support hiring, training, and retention of veteran employees;
  7. Provision of compensation, to employees serving on active duty in the United States National Guard or Reserve, that is sufficient, in combination with the employee’s active duty pay, to achieve a combined level of income commensurate with the employee’s salary prior to undertaking active duty;
  8. Provision of a tuition assistance program to support veteran employees’ attendance in postsecondary education during the term of their employment; and
  9. Employer with an adverse labor law decision, stipulated agreement, contract debarment, or contract termination, as defined in the rule, pursuant to either of the following labor laws will not be eligible to receive an award: Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); or Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA).

For more about this program, go to HIREVets.gov