Wisconsin Veterans Having An Easier Time Finding Jobs

The 2015 unemployment rate for Wisconsin veterans is down to 3.6 percent, half what is was just a couple of years ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics. It’s also lower than that of the state’s general population, which is at 4.4 percent.

Gary Meyer, director of the Office of Veterans Services, said the state has urged companies to hire veterans. The Department of Workforce Development also works with job-seeking veterans on an individual basis.

“We have staff that are stationed throughout the state of Wisconsin that deal with any veterans that have any significant barriers,” Meyer said.

However, according to University of Wisconsin-Madison economist Steven Deller, there’s not good data on what kind of jobs veterans are getting or whether they’ve given up looking, which means they don’t get counted by the BLS.

“On its face value, (the low rate is) a good thing and it makes Wisconsin look good,” said Deller. “But what are the types of jobs that these veterans are working at and secondly, have they removed themselves from the workforce?”

The jobless rate for veterans varies across the country, ranging from a low of under 2 percent in Iowa to nearly 8 percent in the District of Columbia.