Veteran or service member rights
You have the right to be treated fairly as a veteran or service member.
Questions?
We’re here to help.
We are committed to helping you understand your rights as a worker. Many questions about your rights may be answered by using the following elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisor:
For additional assistance, please contact:
OFCCP: 1-800-397-6251 or the OFCCP Help Desk. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
U.S. Department of Labor National Contact Center: 1-866-4-USA-DOL; 1-866-487-2365
Additional resources
U.S. Department of Labor National Contact Center: 1-866-4-USA-DOL; 1-866-487-2365
Two federal laws prohibit discrimination in employment based on your status as a veteran or service member. Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), you’re protected from discrimination based on your prior service in the uniformed services; current service in the uniformed services; or intent to join the uniformed services. This is regardless of whether your employer is a private employer, the federal government, a state government, or local government. You may also be protected against discrimination under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA) if you are an employee of a federal contractor or subcontractor and meet the definition of a “protected veteran.” Additionally, under both laws, your employer is also prohibited from retaliating against you because of your attempt to enforce your rights or someone else’s rights.
For example, your current or any future employer cannot:
- terminate you,
- fail to promote you,
- fail to hire you,
- fail to reemploy you, or
- fail to give you benefits that others received either while you were at work or while you were deployed
because you are a veteran or service member.
The elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors are a set of online tools developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws.