The recent national Veterans Day observance marked the launch of a promotional effort by the state Division of Veteran Affairs to draw attention to a new tax credit for employers who hire currently unemployed post-9/11 veterans.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in announcing the promotion said $74 million in credits are available for the new tax program that begins next Jan. 1. Noting that approximately 75,000 post-9/11 veterans reside in New York, the governor added, “These brave men and women served our country, now it”™s our turn to help them get back to work.”
The veteran affairs division will send direct mailings about the credit to organizations committed to hiring veterans. The state agency also will promote the tax credit to veterans organizations and schools accepting post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits and deliver printed pamphlets describing the new hiring incentive for distribution by more than 150 veterans service organizations and counselors.
State officials said the national unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans is 10 percent, while the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans under 25 is 10.5 percent. Unemployment rates for those veterans are higher than jobless rates for non-veterans.
To address that, the Cuomo administration has implemented an “Experience Counts” initiative to translate veterans”™ military skills and experiences into employment opportunities.
