Governor Bentley Signs Bill To Help Unemployed Veterans Find New Jobs
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: April 4, 2012
Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday signed into law the Heroes for Hire Act, which will help veterans returning
from deployment find new jobs or start new businesses.
"When
our service men and women were called to defend our freedoms, they
didn't ask questions. They simply answered the call to serve," Governor
Bentley said. "We must not forget the sacrifices veterans have made,
and we encourage employers to remember our veterans as they fill open
positions."
The
Act provides an additional $1,000 tax credit for job creation to
employers who hire recently deployed, and now discharged, unemployed
veterans.
The Act also creates a $2,000 income tax credit to recently deployed,
and now discharged, unemployed veterans who start their own businesses.
"Veterans
have a unique set of skills and valuable experience that will benefit
the companies that hire them," Governor Bentley said. "Many veterans
also have ideas that can help them launch a new business, and we want to
give them every opportunity to succeed as they return home from
service."
The bill was sponsored by State Representative DuWayne Bridges and State Senator Tom Whatley.
"With
wars winding down in Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of Alabama
veterans are returning home to a difficult economy in which it is hard
to find
a job," Rep. Bridges said. "We need to give returning veterans every
advantage we can toward finding employment. Our 'Heroes for Hire' bill
does that by giving businesses a significant incentive for hiring a
veteran who recently returned from war. Those
who served on the front lines deserve to go to the front of the line for
new jobs."
"We
need to do right by our heroes. These men and women put their lives on
the line for our country," Senator Whatley said. "This new law not
only
reaffirms our commitment to supporting our veterans, but also will
contribute to Alabama's decreasing unemployment rate."
The
Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard added that the Heroes
for Hire bill will benefit the livelihoods of veterans seeking new
opportunities
upon their return to Alabama.
"It
is great to see the Governor and the Alabama Legislature promoting our
veterans' employment," Major General Perry Smith said. "The Alabama
National
Guard has a higher unemployment rate than the state average, so this
bill will be a great morale booster. More than that, it could be a
life-changer for many Soldiers and Airmen."
The
Alabama Career Center System is a valuable resource for veterans
searching for a new job. The system has career centers across the
state, and
connecting veterans with employment is among the system's primary
services. The Alabama Career Center System is managed under the
authority of the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations and has
additional information online at www.joblink.alabama.gov.
