Disabled Veterans Turning to Entrepreneurship

One of the more difficult things to do for a Disabled American Veteran (DAV) returning from war is to find employment. And while laws exist to help Disabled American Veterans out, many are turning to Entrepreneurship instead of their old jobs.

According to the Federal Government, more than 30,000 Veterans returned home since 2001 with service-connected disabilities that included amputations, burns, post traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries.

What protections do these veterans have when they try to find a civilian job?

Two Federal Laws, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployments Rights Act (USERRA) and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) provide protections that prohibit discrimination based on disability.

According to the Equal Opportunity Commission, USERRA “prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of their military status or military obligations.” It also protects re-employment for those who leave their civilian jobs to serve their country.

For example, the Guardsmen who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and who were gone for months, were guaranteed to have a job when they returned. The USERRA works in tangent with the ADA, because the USERRA requires employers not only to not discriminate against a Disabled Veteran, but to make “reasonable efforts” to help a Veteran who is returning home disabled to become qualified for a job.

The USERRA goes further and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for veterans who may not meet the ADA’s definition of “disabled.”

Despite these laws, there are problems.

The Economic Opportunity Subcommittee recently held hearings in Washington D.C. to hear complaints from Veterans and Disabled Veterans who say Federal Contractors are not complying with laws that prevent discrimination against them.

One solution could be to get Disabled Veterans the tools they need to start their own businesses.

Several Colleges and Universities have programs specifically geared to helping Disabled Veterans start their own business.

Oklahoma State University, for example, announced it is accepting applications from Disabled Veterans for its Entrepreneurial Training Program. The program helps Veterans turn their business ideas into workable business models, as well as giving them the tools to create their own companies and keep them going.

Florida State University has an Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans program put on by volunteers. It’s free for Disabled Veterans and is funded through private donations. The program instructs Disabled Veterans for 12-14 hours per day in Financing, Marketing, Contracting and General Business concepts.
And under the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act, at least 3 percent of all government contracts must be awarded to firms owned and managed by Service-Disabled Veterans.

Examples of successfully-run Disabled Veteran-owned business are growing as the more entities recognize the value of providing training and opportunity for this segment of the Business World.