,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bbfc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #aj1 #bjae,mr4 ,blunt 7for himself and ,mr4 ,manchin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,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 ,federal awards to private sector employers recognizing such investments1 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 #bjae 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 ,medallion ,award1 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 program1 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 ,medallion ,award2 7#b7 review applications received in each calendar year2 7#c7 notify the recipients of the awards2 and 7#d7 at a time to coincide with the annual commemoration of ,veterans ,day-- 7,a7 announce the names of such recipients2 7,b7 recognize such recipients through publication in the ,federal ,register2 and 7,c7 issue to each such recipient a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award of the level determined under section #c1 in the form of a certificate1 to be designated a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,certificate1 which shall state that the employer is entitled to publicly display such ,award as desired4 7c7 ,timing 7#a7 ,solicitation period ,the ,secretary shall solicit applications not later than ,january #cast of each calendar year for the medallion awards to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#b7 ,end of acceptance period ,the ,secretary shall stop accepting the applications not earlier than ,april #cjth of each calendar year for the medallion awards to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#c7 ,review period ,the ,secretary shall finish reviewing the applications1 as described in section #c7;a71 not later than ,august #cast of each calendar year for the medallion awards to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#d7 ,determinations by ,secretary ,the ,secretary shall determine a list of employers to receive ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,awards not later than ,september #cjth of each calendar year for the medallion awards to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 7#e7 ,notice to recipients ,the ,secretary shall notify employers who will receive ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,awards not later than ,october #aath of each calendar year for the medallion awards to be awarded in ,november of that calendar year4 #c4 ,selection of recipients 7a7 ,application review process 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall1 directly or by contract1 review all applications received in a calendar year in accordance with section #b7;c7 to determine whether an employer should receive a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award1 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 previous to that in which the medallion award is to be awarded1 including information concerning the number of employees of the applicant involved and activities governing the level of award for which the applicant is eligible under subsection 7b74 ,the ,secretary shall require that each application contain a certification1 signed by the senior executive responsible for employee hiring1 that the employer has met the criteria described in subsection 7b7 for a particular level of medallion award4 7b7 ,awards 7#a7 ,large employers 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish #c levels of ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,awards to be awarded to employers employing #ejj or more employees1 to be designated the ,bronze ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award1 the ,silver ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award1 and the ,gold ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award4 7,b7 ,bronze ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award ,no employer shall be eligible to receive a ,bronze ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award in a given calendar year unless-- 7i7 7,i7 veterans constitute not less than #e percent of all employees hired by such employer during the previous calendar year2 or 7,,ii7 veterans constitute not less than #g percent of the employer's total workforce2 7ii7 such employer provides charitable contributions to veteran support organizations2 7iii7 such employer retains through the end of that previous calendar year not less than #ge percent of veteran employees hired during the calendar year prior to the previous calendar year 7unless that prior calendar year began more than #a year before the first year in which the ,secretary solicited applications under section #b7;b77#a772 and 7iv7 such employer provides a targeted training program for new veteran employees4 7,c7 ,silver ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award ,no employer shall be eligible to receive a ,silver ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award in a given calendar year unless-- 7i7 such employer is eligible to receive a ,bronze ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award in such year2 7ii7 7,i7 veterans constitute not less than #g percent of all employees hired by such employer during the previous calendar year2 or 7,,ii7 veterans constitute not less than #aj percent of the employer's total workforce2 7iii7 such employer has established an employee veteran organization or resource group to assist new veteran employees with integration1 including providing coaching and mentoring2 and 7iv7 such employer has established a program to enhance the leadership skills of veteran employees1 to promote their upward mobility during their employment4 7,d7 ,gold ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award ,no employer shall be eligible to receive a ,gold ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award in a given calendar year unless-- 7i7 such employer is eligible to receive a ,silver ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award in such year2 7ii7 7,i7 veterans constitute not less than #aj percent of all employees hired by such employer during the previous calendar year2 or 7,,ii7 veterans constitute not less than #ae percent of the employers total workforce2 7iii7 such employer retains through the end of that previous calendar year not less than #he percent of veteran employees hired during the calendar year prior to the previous calendar year 7unless that prior calendar year began more than #a year before the first year in which the ,secretary solicited applications under section #b7;b77#a772 7iv7 such employer employs a dedicated human resources professional to support hiring and retention of veteran employees1 including undertaking efforts focused on veteran hiring and training2 7v7 such employer provides each of its employees1 who is a member of a reserve component of the ,armed ,forces serving on active duty1 with compensation sufficient1 in combination with the employee's basic pay in connection with service on active duty in the ,armed ,forces1 to achieve a combined level of income commensurate with the employee's compensation prior to undertaking active duty2 and 7vi7 such employer has established a tuition assistance program to support veteran employees' attendance at an institution of higher education during the term of their employment4 7,e7 ,exemption for smaller employers ,an employer shall be deemed to meet the requirements of subparagraph 7,d77iv7 if such employer-- 7i7 employs #e1jjj or fewer employees2 and 7ii7 employs at least one human resources professional whose primary work duties include those described under subparagraph 7,d77iv74 7,f7 ,additional criteria ,the ,secretary may provide1 by rule1 additional criteria with which to determine qualifications for receipt of each level of ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award4 ,if the ,secretary provides for the additional criteria1 the employer shall include information on the criteria in the application described in subsection 7a77#b71 and the ,secretary shall determine eligibility for such an award on the basis of those criteria and the other criteria specified in this paragraph4 7#b7 ,small and medium-size employers ,the ,secretary shall establish similar criteria for ,bronze1 ,silver1 and ,gold ,hire ,vets ,medallion ,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 7#a7 ,in general ,except as described in paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall establish the shape1 form1 and design of each ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award4 7#b7 ,requirements ,the award shall be in the form of a certificate4 ,the award shall state the year for which it is awarded4 #d4 ,display of award 7a7 ,in general ,the recipient of a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award may publicly display such medallion award as desired4 7b7 ,unlawful display prohibited ,it is unlawful for any employer to publicly display a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award if such employer did not receive such medallion award through the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program4 #e4 ,application fee and funding 7a7 ,fee authorized ,the ,secretary may assess a reasonable fee on employers that apply for receipt of a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award4 7b7 ,fund established ,there is established in the ,treasury of the ,united ,states a separate account for the deposit of fees collected under subsection 7a71 to be designated the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,fund4 7c7 ,deposit ,the ,secretary shall deposit any fees collected pursuant to subsection 7a7 into the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,fund4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,sources of appropriations 7,a7 ,first #b years ,there are authorized to be appropriated for the first #b fiscal years in which applications are to be solicited under section #b7;b7 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this ,act in such fiscal years4 7,b7 ,years following applications ,amounts in the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,fund shall be available1 to the extent provided in appropriations ,acts1 for each fiscal year following a prior fiscal year in which fees are collected under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,availability ,amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 are authorized to remain available until expended4 7#c7 ,use ,amounts in the ,fund shall be available1 as provided in appropriation ,acts pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 for carrying out this ,act4 #f4 ,report to ,congress 7a7 ,reports ,beginning not later than #b years after the date of the establishment of the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,program under section #b7;a71 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress annual reports in ,january of each calender year on-- 7#a7 the fees collected from applicants for ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,awards 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 ,medallion ,awards received in the prior year2 and 7#d7 the ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,awards awarded in the prior year1 including the name of each employer to whom a ,,hire ,vets ,medallion ,award was awarded and the level of ,medallion ,award 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 ,appropriations1 ,education and the ,workforce1 and ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#b7 the ,committees on ,appropriations1 ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions1 and ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate4 #g4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,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 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,labor4 7#c7 ,veteran ,the term veteran has the meaning given such term under section #aja of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4