This report will provide an overview of these federal employment and training programs targeted to veterans, and federal policies to assist veterans in obtaining federal employment. Outlined below are the major federal programs and policies to assist veterans seeking civilian jobs. Transition Assistance Programs

The Department of Labor (DOL), in cooperation with the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), operates the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP). These are state positions, funded by the federal government, that provide outreach and assistance to veterans seeking employment. P.L. 112-56 provides that a servicemember may be certified as a preference eligible for federal employment if he or she is within 120 days of separation from military service.
There are federal employment and training programs and policies specifically targeted to help veterans seeking employment in the civilian economy. Transition assistance programs are operated by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Labor (DOL) to assist servicemembers as they prepare to leave the military. DOL operates grant programs to states to provide outreach and assistance to veterans in finding civilian employment. In addition, the federal government has policies (including veterans preference) that assist veterans in obtaining jobs with the federal government and federal contractors.
P.L. 112-56 makes several changes to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for separating servicemembers and permits a servicemember who is within 120 days of separation from military service to be certified as a preference eligible for federal employment.
This report provides a brief overview of these federal programs and policies. This report will be updated as needed.