OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 16, 2012

Contact: Nick Smith 503-986-1351

JOBS BILL ALLOWS VETERANS TO LEVERAGE MILITARY

TRAINING TO SECURE CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT

SALEM—The House of Representatives today approved bipartisan legislation allowing  veterans to leverage their training and experience serving in the military when seeking jobs in civilian life. 

Rep. Julie Parrish (R-West Linn/Tualatin) successfully carried HB 4063 on the House Floor, which allows applicants to certain licensed occupations to substitute their military training or experience for what is normally required by an agency for licensure. 

“This important bill is designed to recognize the skill sets that veterans of the Armed Forces have garnered through their experience serving our country,” Rep. Parrish said.  “It requires certain professional licensing boards to evaluate and accept the education and, in some cases, the hours served in professional fields during a veteran’s military tenure.”

The bill applies to over two dozen occupational fields and licenses, such as teachers, engineers, land surveyors, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, private security professionals and investigators.  Rep. Parrish says the legislation is needed because, often times, veterans have difficulty utilizing their military training to secure jobs back home.

“HB 4063 is designed so that transferability of a veteran’s skills is recognized in the civilian work after separation from the military,” Rep. Parrish said.  “Many times, soldiers have difficulty explaining their training and skills in civilian speak, because the methodology of military training doesn’t always line up perfectly with a university liberal arts degree or trade school program in a community college.” 

Similar legislation has been approved in other states, and Rep. Parrish says it will help address high unemployment among Oregon’s returning veterans.

“This is a jobs bill for veterans who have honorably served our country,” Rep. Parrish said. “Currently, the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans is nearly 14 percent, with 18- to 24-year-old veterans facing an unemployment rate of nearly 22 percent. By clearing the path for veterans to come straight from the service and be hired in the field in which the U.S. military spent time and tax dollars for training these men and women, we can close this unemployment gap for veterans.” 

HB 4063 now moves to the State Senate for further consideration.

###