Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Better Jobs for Veterans Act of 2017”.
Better Jobs for Veterans Act of 2017
A BILL
To make certain improvements relating to the hiring and employment of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Veterans Retraining Assistance Program
Permanent program— Section 211 of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (Public Law 112–56; 38 U.S.C. 4100 note) is amended—
in subsection (a)(2)(B), by striking “the period beginning October 1, 2012, and ending March 31, 2014” and inserting “each subsequent fiscal year that the program is carried out”; and
by striking subsection (k).
Conforming amendments— Such section is further amended—
in subsection (a)(1), by striking “Not later than July 1, 2012, the” and inserting “The”;
in subsection (b), by striking “Except as provided by subsection (k), each” and inserting “Each”;
in subsection (e)(1)(G), by striking “by not later than October 1, 2013,”;
by striking subsection (i); and
by redesignating subsections (j) and (l) as subsections (i) and (j), respectively.
Sec. 3 Improved employment assistance for members of the Armed Forces and veterans
Improved employment skills verification— Section 1143(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
by inserting “(1)” before “The Secretary of Defense”; and
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(2) In order to improve the accuracy and completeness of a certification or verification of job skills and experience required by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy shall—
“(A) establish a database to record all training performed by members of the armed forces that may have application to employment in the civilian sector; and
“(B) make unclassified information regarding such information available to States and other potential employers referred to in subsection (c) so that State and other entities may allow military training to satisfy licensing or certification requirements to engage in a civilian profession.”
Improved accuracy of certificates of training and skills— Section 1143(a) of title 10, United States Code, is further amended by inserting after paragraph (2), as added by subsection (a), the following new paragraph:
“(3) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy shall ensure that a certification or verification of job skills and experience required by paragraph (1) is rendered in such a way that States and other potential employers can confirm the accuracy and authenticity of the certification or verification.”
Improved responsiveness to certification requests— Section 1143(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
by inserting “(1)” before “For the purpose”; and
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(2) A State may use a certification or verification of job skills and experience provided to a member of the armed forces under subsection (a) and request the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, as the case may be, to confirm the accuracy and authenticity of the certification or verification. A response confirming or denying the information shall be provided within five business days.”
Improved portability of certificates of training and skills— Section 1143 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(e) Portability—A certification or verification of job skills and experience provided to a member of the armed forces under subsection (a) and accepted by a State to satisfy licensing or certification requirements to engage in a civilian profession shall be valid in all States once used in the accepting States.”
Improved notice to members— Section 1142(b)(4)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the semicolon the following: “, including State-submitted and approved lists of military training and skills that satisfy occupational certifications and licenses”.
Sec. 4 Work opportunity credit to small businesses for hiring members of Ready Reserve or National Guard
In general— Section 51(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking “or” at the end of subparagraph (I), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (J) and inserting “, or”, and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(K) in the case of an eligible employer (as defined in section 408(p)(2)(C)(i)), an individual who is a member of—
“(i) the Ready Reserve (as described in section 10142 of title 10, United States Code), or
“(ii) the National Guard (as defined in section 101(c)(1) of such title 10).”
Effective date—
In general— The amendment made by this section shall apply to wages paid or incurred after the date of the enactment of this Act in taxable years ending after such date.
Current employees covered by credit— For purposes of applying section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, individuals described in section 51(d)(1)(K) of such Code, as added by this section, who are employed by an eligible employer (as defined in section 408(p)(2)(C)(i) of such Code) on the date of the enactment of this Act shall be treated as beginning work for such employer on such date.
Sec. 5 Permanent extension of work opportunity credit for employers hiring qualified veterans and members of Ready Reserve and National Guard
In general— Section 51(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting “(other than any individual described in subparagraph (B) or (K) of subsection (d)(1))” after “individual”.
Effective date— The amendment made by this section shall apply to individuals who begin work for the employer after December 31, 2016.
Sec. 6 Eligibility of spouses of military personnel for the work opportunity credit
In general— Section 51(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by this Act, is amended by striking “or” at the end of subparagraph (J), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (K) and inserting “, or”, and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(L) a qualified military spouse.”
Qualified military spouse— Section 51(d) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(16) Qualified military spouse—The term “qualified military spouse” means any individual who is certified by the designated local agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.”
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall apply to amounts paid or incurred after the date of the enactment of this Act to individuals who begin work for the employer after such date.