Veteran, non-Veteran unemployment increases in July 2014

The July 2014 unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Veterans are, as a whole, doing slightly better than non-Veterans despite increases in unemployment.

The 12-month rolling averages show that Veterans and non-Veterans overall are doing better than they were a year ago. Gulf War II Veteran unemployment increased for the first time since February 2014.

July 2013 – July 2014 Unemployment Rolling Average

Veteran unemployment rates increased by .6 percent while non-Veteran unemployment rates increased by .2 percent. Gulf War II Veteran unemployment rates increased by 2.2 percent.

From June to July in both 2013 and 2014 all Veteran and Gulf War II unemployment rates increased. Non-Veteran unemployment rates decreased from June to July in 2013 but has increased from June to July 2014.

From June to July 2013 unemployment rates for women, both Veteran and non-Veterans,  decreased. This year, from June to July 2014 the unemployment rate for women Veterans has decreased overall while the unemployment rate for non-Veteran women has increased.

Women Veterans, specifically Gulf War II women Veterans, are doing worse than non-Veteran women. The unemployment rate for women Veterans as a whole decreased by .5 percent but still remains .4 percent higher than non-Veteran women. The unemployment rate for Gulf War II female Veterans has continued to increase since May 2014 and currently is at 10.7 percent.

Male Veterans as a whole are doing the same as their non-Veteran counterparts. This is the first time since May 2012 that the male Veterans unemployment rate has been equal to or higher than non-Veteran males.

The unemployment rate for Gulf War II male Veterans in May 2014 dropped below non-Veteran males for the first time since July 2013. This month the Gulf War II male Veterans’ unemployment rate increased by 2.3 percent. This is second month of increases in a row.

May 2012 – July 2014 Veteran men unemployment

In April, Joining Forces launched the Veterans Employment Center, a new online platform which supports transitioning service members, veterans, and their spouses looking for new career opportunities. This site helps simplify the job search process by providing the most important online career tools within government in one place. This tool is a result of collaboration between the Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Job seekers can use the “military skills translator” to match military career tracks with civilian occupations and critical skills, create and upload a resume online, and find public and private job openings in a single search. Employers are provided with a direct feed of resumes from Veteran applicants, can view reverse skills translation (military to civilian skills) for applicants, and can make public their own Veterans hiring goals.

Watch a video about the new employment center here https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs.

Analyze the data yourself at https://news.va.gov/resources/unemployment/