Employment - Much More Could Be Done for Veterans in Employment and Training Programs: Hrd-78-166 (Paperback)

Services offered by the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) and U.S. Employment Service programs to give designated classes of Armed Forces veterans special treatment are in definite need of improvement. CETA programs are managed by over 450 prime sponsors operating under the Department of Labor's (DOL) regulations. The regulations in effect at the time of GAO's field work provided that special consideration be given to disabled veterans, special veterans, and recently separated veterans, groups hereafter to be referred to as "priority veterans." Priority veteran participation in the programs during fiscal year 1977 ranged from 4 to over 20 percent depending on the sponsor and the program involved. Although special consideration was required, DOL had not provided its regional offices or sponsors guidance on giving special consideration to priority veterans. Sponsors' program plans varied considerably in describing how special consideration would be provided. DOL monitoring of the sponsors' programs generally did not determine whether priority veterans received any special treatment. Because of these shortcomings, priority veterans had not received special treatment.