,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cbhf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #cj1 #bjaf,received ,,an ,,act ,to encourage effective1 voluntary private sector investments to recruit1 employ1 and retain men and women who have served in the ,united ,states military with annual presidential awards to private sector employers recognizing such efforts1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,honoring ,investments in ,recruiting and ,employing ,american ,military ,veterans ,act of #bjaf or the ,,hire ,vets ,act4 #b4 ,,hire ,vets ,medallion program 7a7 ,program ,established ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,labor shall establish1 by rule1 a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program to solicit voluntary information from employers for purposes of recognizing1 by means of an award to be designated a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion1 verified efforts by such employers-- 7#a7 to recruit1 employ1 and retain veterans2 and 7#b7 to provide community and charitable services supporting the veteran community4 7b7 ,application ,process ,beginning in the calendar year following the calendar year in which the ,secretary establishes the program-- 7#a7 the ,secretary shall annually-- 7,a7 solicit and accept voluntary applications from employers in order to consider whether those employers should receive a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion2 7,b7 review applications received in each calendar year2 and 7,c7 provide to the ,president a list of recipients2 and 7#b7 the ,president shall annually-- 7,a7 notify such recipients of their awards2 and 7,b7 at a time to coincide with the annual commemoration of ,veterans ,day-- 7i7 announce the names of such recipients2 7ii7 recognize such recipients through publication in the ,federal ,register2 and 7iii7 issue to each such recipient-- 7,i7 a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion of the level determined under section #c2 and 7,,ii7 a certificate stating that such employer is entitled to display such ,,hire ,vets ,medallion during the following calendar year1 to be designated a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,certificate4 7c7 ,timing 7#a7 ,solicitation period ,the ,secretary shall solicit applications not later than ,january #cast of each calendar year for the medallions to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#b7 ,end of acceptance period ,the ,secretary shall stop accepting applications not earlier than ,april #cjth of each calendar year for the medallions to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#c7 ,review period ,the ,secretary shall finish reviewing applications not later than ,august #cast of each calendar year for the medallions to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#d7 ,recommendations to ,president ,the ,secretary shall provide to the ,president a list of employers to receive ,,hire ,vets ,medallions not later than ,september #cjth of each calendar year for the medallions to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#e7 ,notice to recipients ,the ,president shall notify employers who will receive ,,hire ,vets ,medallions not later than ,october #aath of each calendar year for the medallions to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 #c4 ,selection of recipients 7a7 ,application review process 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall review all applications received in a calendar year to determine whether an employer should receive a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion1 and1 if so1 of what level4 7#b7 ,application contents ,the ,secretary shall require that all applications provide information on the programs and other efforts of applicant employers during the calendar year prior to that in which the medallion is to be awarded1 including the categories and activities governing the level of award for which the applicant is eligible under subsection 7b74 7#c7 ,verification ,in reviewing applications1 the ,secretary shall verify all information provided in the applications1 to the extent that such information is relevant in determining whether or not an applicant should receive a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion or in determining the appropriate level of ,,hire ,vets ,medallion for that employer to receive4 7b7 ,awards 7#a7 ,large employers 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish two levels of ,,hire ,vets ,medallions to be awarded to employers employing #ejj or more employees1 to be designated the ,gold ,,hire ,vets ,medallion and the ,platinum ,,hire ,vets ,medallion4 7,b7 ,gold ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,no employer shall be eligible to receive a ,gold ,,hire ,vets ,medallion in a given calendar year unless-- 7i7 veterans constitute not less than #g percent of all employees hired by such employer during the prior calendar year2 7ii7 such employer has established an employee veteran organization or resource group to assist new veteran employees with integration1 including coaching and mentoring2 and 7iii7 such employer has established programs to enhance the leadership skills of veteran employees during their employment4 7,c7 ,platinum ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,no employer shall be eligible to receive a ,platinum ,,hire ,vets ,medallion in a given calendar year unless-- 7i7 veterans constitute not less than #aj percent of all employees hired by such employer during the prior calendar year2 7ii7 such employer retains through the end of the prior calendar year not less than #he percent of veteran employees hired during the calendar year before the prior calendar year2 7iii7 such employer employs dedicated human resources professionals to support hiring and retention of veteran employees1 including efforts focused on veteran hiring and training2 7iv7 such employer provides each of its employees serving on active duty in the ,united ,states ,national ,guard or ,reserve with compensation sufficient1 in combination with the employee's active duty pay1 to achieve a combined level of income commensurate with the employee's salary prior to undertaking active duty2 and 7v7 such employer has established a tuition assistance program to support veteran employees' attendance in postsecondary education during the term of their employment4 7,d7 ,exemption for smaller employers ,an employer shall be deemed to meet the requirements of subparagraph 7,c77iv7 if such employer-- 7i7 employs #e1jjj or fewer employees2 and 7ii7 employs at least one human resources professional whose regular work duties include those described under subparagraph 7,c77iii74 7,e7 ,additional criteria ,the ,secretary may provide1 by rule1 additional criteria with which to determine qualifications for receipt of each level of ,,hire ,vets ,medallion4 7#b7 ,small- and medium-sized employers ,the ,secretary shall establish similar awards in order to recognize achievements in supporting veterans by-- 7,a7 employers with #ej or fewer employees2 and 7,b7 employers with more than #ej but fewer than #ejj employees4 7c7 ,design by ,secretary ,the ,secretary shall establish the shape1 form1 and metallic content of each ,,hire ,vets ,medallion4 #d4 ,display of award 7a7 ,in general ,the recipient of a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion may-- 7#a7 publicly display such medallion through the end of the calendar year following receipt of such medallion2 and 7#b7 publicly display the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,certificate issued in conjunction with such medallion4 7b7 ,unlawful display prohibited ,it is unlawful for any employer to publicly display a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion1 in connection with1 or as a part of1 any advertisement1 solicitation1 business activity1 or product-- 7#a7 for the purpose of conveying1 or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey1 a false impression that the employer received the medallion through the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program1 if such employer did not receive such medallion through the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program2 or 7#b7 for the purpose of conveying1 or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey1 a false impression that the employer received the medallion through the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program during the preceding calendar year if it is after the end of the calendar year following the calendar year in which such medallion was issued to such employer through the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program4 #e4 ,application fee and funding 7a7 ,fund established ,there is established in the ,treasury of the ,united ,states a fund to be designated the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award ,fund4 7b7 ,fee authorized ,the ,secretary may assess a reasonable fee on employers that apply for receipt of a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion and the ,secretary shall deposit such fees into the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award ,fund4 ,the ,secretary shall establish the amount of the fee such that the amounts collected as fees and deposited into the ,fund are sufficient to cover the costs associated with carrying out this ,act4 7c7 ,use of funds ,amounts in the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award ,fund shall be available1 subject to appropriation1 to the ,secretary to carry out the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program4 #f4 ,report to ,congress 7a7 ,reports ,beginning not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress annual reports on-- 7#a7 the fees collected from applicants for ,,hire ,vets ,medallions in the prior year and any changes in fees to be proposed in the present year2 7#b7 the cost of administering the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program in the prior year2 7#c7 the number of applications for ,,hire ,vets ,medallions received in the prior year2 and 7#d7 the ,,hire ,vets ,medallions awarded in the prior year1 including the name of each employer to whom a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion was awarded and the level of medallion awarded to each such employer4 7b7 ,committees ,the ,secretary shall provide the reports required under subsection 7a7 to the ,chairman and ,ranking ,member of-- 7#a7 the ,committees on ,education and the ,workforce and ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#b7 the ,committees on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions and ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate4 #g4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7a7 ,employer ,the term employer has the meaning given such term under section #dcjc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 except that such term does not include-- 7#a7 the ,federal ,government2 7#b7 any ,state1 as defined in such section2 or 7#c7 any foreign state4 7b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,labor4 7c7 ,veteran ,the term veteran has the meaning given such term under section #aja of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,november #bi1 #bjaf4,karen ,l4 ,haas1,clerk