Employment Situation ofEmployment Situation of Veterans 2009

Submitted with the Statement of

Philip L RonesPhilip L. RonesDeputy Commissioner

Bureau of Labor Statistics

b f hbefore theSubcommittee on Economic Opportunity

of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

April 15, 2010

Statement available online atStatement available online athttp://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm#vets

Where do the data come from?

The data are collected as part of the Current Population The data are collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households.

The CPS is a joint program between the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Census Bureau.

It is the source of civilian employment and unemployment data, including the nationalunemployment data, including the national unemployment rate.

Q ti i l d d i th th t id tif Questions are included in the survey that identify veterans and their period of service (when they served).

Who are veterans?

Veterans are men and women who served on active Veterans are men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were civilians at the time of the survey. Members of the Reserve and National Guard are counted as veterans if they haveNational Guard are counted as veterans if they have ever been called to active duty.

Nonveterans are men and women who have never served on active duty in the U.S. military.

Periods of Service

Labor force statistics are available by these periods of Labor force statistics are available by these periods of service:

Gulf War era II = Sept. 2001- present Gulf War era I = Aug. 1990 - Aug. 2001Vietnam era = Aug. 1964 - April 1975Korean War = July 1950 - Jan 1955Korean War July 1950 Jan. 1955World War II = Dec. 1941- Dec. 1946Other service periods = All other time periods

“Other service periods” are the dates between war periods:May 1975 - July 1990, Jan. 1947 - June 1950,Feb. 1955 - July 1964, Nov. 1941 or earlier

NOTE: The CPS monthly survey does not identify where a veteran served.

Data on veterans are available monthly from the Current Population Survey (CPS)

Veterans data are published monthly in the Veterans data are published monthly in the Employment Situation news release.

Additional tables are available from BLS on topics such pas:

Age, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity

Occupation and industry

Full or part-time status Full or part time status

Class of worker (private, government, self-employed, unpaid family worker)

Duration of unemployment

Additional data are available from the veterans supplement

Collected every 2 years since 1985; conducted Collected every 2 years since 1985; conducted annually beginning in 2009. (August 2009, July 2010, August 2011, August 2012).

Co-sponsored by the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ( )

Provides additional information about veterans such as presence and rating of service-connectedas presence and rating of service connected disability, Reserve or National Guard status, and service in a combat or war zone.

E l Si i f VEmployment Situation of Veterans

Characteristics of veterans

Chart 1. Of the 22 million veterans, the largest group is from WWII Korean War and Vietnam era

Gulf War-era II

group is from WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam era

veterans (8.7%)

Gulf War-era I veterans (13 1%)

Other service periods (26.8%)

veterans (13.1%)

WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans (51.3%)veterans (51.3%)

NOTE: Gulf War-era II veterans served anywhere on active duty since September 2001. Gulf War-era I veterans served anywhere between August 1990 and August 2001.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Chart 2. Most veterans are men

Percent of total

8 3

1890

100

WomenMen

56

60

70

80

92 97

82

30

40

50

44

0

10

20

30

0

Veterans WWII, Korean War,and Vietnam era

Gulf War-era IIveterans

Nonveterans

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Chart 3. Overall, veterans are older than nonveterans,

Percent of total

39

35

40

Veterans Nonveterans

25

20

25

30

11

17

14

19 1920

14 1415

20

1

7

5

10

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age

Chart 4. Most Gulf War-era II veterans are under 35 years old35 years old

Percent of total

49

45

50

55

Gulf War-era II veterans

Nonveterans

30

35

40

45

16 161514

19 19 20

14 14

20

25

30

4

0

14 14 14

5

10

15

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age

Chart 5. Among men, veterans age 18-24 are somewhat more likely than nonveterans to be yemployed

Employed as a percent of population

78.5

85.0

77.080.6

83.680.8

80

90 Male veterans Male nonveterans

62.059.9

67.6

55.9

50

60

70

23 030

40

50

17.923.0

10

20

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age

Chart 6. Women of similar ages are employed at about the same ratesabout the same rates

Employed as a percent of population

66.5

75.2 74.3

68.6 70.4 71.470

80Female veterans Female nonveterans

55.8 53.956.455.4

50

60

30

40

9.512.8

10

20

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age

Chart 7. WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans tend to have lower employment rates, p y ,largely reflecting their age

Employed as a percent of population

75.081.0

70

80

90

50.155.1

50

60

70

35.4

20

30

40

0

10

Veterans, all Gulf War era II Gulf War era I WWII, Korean Other serviceservice periods War, and Vietnam

eraperiods

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Chart 8. Employment varies little by combat statusp y y

Employed as a percent of population

75.080.1

75.0

83.2

80

90Combat veterans Noncombat veterans

43.9

51.451.455.2

50

60

70

29.1

36.1

20

30

40

0

10

Veterans, all Gulf War era II Gulf War era I WWII, Korean Other serviceservice periods War, and Vietnam

eraperiods

NOTE: Combat or war zone status was not reported for about 1 in 6 veterans.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Chart 9. Male veterans and female veterans have similar unemployment rates by period of servicesimilar unemployment rates by period of service

Unemployment rate

9.910.3

11.5

10

12 Men Women

8.1 8.0 7.8

6

8

4

6

0

2

Veterans Gulf War-era II veterans NonveteransNOTE: The unemployment rates of male and female Gulf War-era II veterans are similar. The unemployment rate for female Gulf War-era II veterans is based on a relatively small sample. Small samples have large standard errors.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Chart 10. Among veterans who served sometime since August 1990, there is little difference in the unemployment rates of those with or without a

Unemployment rate

unemployment rates of those with or without a service-connected disability

10.4

9 1

11.4

9 19.710

12

9.1 9.1

6

8

4

6

0

2

Disabled, total Less than 30 30 to 50 percent 60 percent or Not disabled,percent disabled

pdisabled

phigher disabled

Service-connected disability status

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplement

Chart 11. Among veterans who served sometime since August 1990, those with a service-connected disability are less likely to be employed than those

Employed as a percent of population

disability are less likely to be employed than those without a service-connected disability

70.7

77.3 75.781.9

70

80

90

55.8

50

60

70

20

30

40

0

10

Disabled, total Less than 30 30 to 50 percent 60 percent or Not disabled,percent disabled

pdisabled

phigher disabled

Service-connected disability status

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplement

Chart 12. 1 of 5 employed disabled veterans works for the Federal governmentworks for the Federal government

Percent of employed

12.2 13.812.4

8.1 9.8 6.6

80

100Other workers

State and local government workers

7.6 19.9

60

Federal government workers

Private l l

2.1

77.568.9

61.1

40

nonagricultural wage and salary workers

0

20

Nonveterans Nondisabled veterans Disabled veterans

NOTE: “Other workers” includes persons employed in agriculture, the unincorporated self-employed, and unpaid family workers. Totals may not add to 100 percent because of rounding. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplement

Chart 13. Current or past members of the Reserve or National Guard have higher employment rates and lower unemployment rates than veterans who neverlower unemployment rates than veterans who never were members of the Reserve or National Guard

Gulf War-era II veterans, Gulf War-era II veterans,

100

August 2009

Employed as a percent of population

August 2009

13 816

Unemployment rate

77.2 73.2

60

8010.6

13.8

10121416

20

40

2468

0Current or past member of the

Reserve or National Guard

Never a member of the Reserve or National Guard

02

Current or past member of the

Reserve or National Guard

Never a member of the Reserve or National Guard

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplement

National Guard National Guard

Further information is available at:

http://www bls gov/cps/demographics htm#vetshttp://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm#vets

or by calling (202) 691-6378