When Rep. Gina McCabe, (R-Goldendale), met with military veterans in 2015 in her 14th District, located in southeast Washington, she discovered many of them were powerless to find meaningful work. She acted quickly and sponsored House Bill (HB) 2040 to encourage employers to hire more veterans

In 2014, there was a 21 percent unemployment rate among military veterans ages 18 to 25. More than 600,000 military veterans reside in Washington, and, according to HB 2040, unemployment is high across the group, especially among young veterans

HB 2040 was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on April 22, 2015

As a partnership among the Washington State Employment Security Department, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and the Washington State Department of Commerce, the YesVets campaign, a pilot project, kicked off in McCabe's district on Feb. 1 of this year

Janelle Guthrie, communications director at the Employment Security Department, said the YesVets campaign has now expanded to all areas in the state

"We started out in the Yakima/Goldendale area with the hope of expanding statewide by June," she said. "In reality, we are already there. Workforce Development Councils in all 12 areas are either already implementing or planning to implement the program - allowing us to help businesses in every area of the state hire veterans and join the YesVets movement.

Since Feb. 1, 183 employers have registered with YesVets, and 154 veterans have been hired, including eight hired by the Employment Security Department

Participating businesses, agencies and organizations will be honored at the YesVets Recognition Ceremony Tuesday, June 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Winged Victory Monument on the capitol campus in Olympia

Employers that register with YesVets and hire veterans will receive a YesVets window decal and also a 2016 sticker showing that they've hired veterans this calendar year. Guthrie said employers receive an annual sticker for each subsequent year they hire veterans. Employers will also receive a YesVets graphic to post on their company website

Guthrie said goals of the YesVets campaign include increasing the number of employers working with disabled veterans within the first 12 months; increasing the number of veterans served by WorkSource, the state's labor exchange; enlisting the participation of at least one chamber of commerce in each county; and as a side goal, increasing the number of veteran-owned businesses

"The overarching goal is to get veterans jobs," Guthrie said. "But we also provide assistance for entrepreneurs in our WorkSource offices, including classes to help those veterans who want to start their own business. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs certifies the veteran-owned businesses."

Employers can learn more about the campaign and register at YesVets.org.
YesVets Recognition Ceremony, Tuesday, June 14, 1:30 p.m., Winged Victory Monument, capitol campus, Olympia