TRENTON – Two bills that would help veterans transition from the battlefield into good-paying New Jersey jobs by easing duplicative licensing and credentialing requirements were signed into law today.
The first law, S-2034, sponsored by Senators Jim Whelan and Jim Beach provides veterans or active duty members of the Armed Forces with exemptions or waivers from licensure requirements when their military training, education or experience is equivalent to the requirements for state licensure or certification.
According to a study by Prudential Financial, Inc. and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, more than two-thirds of veterans state that finding a job is their greatest challenge when transitioning back into civilian life. They note that trying to explain how their military skills translate into the civilian workforce is particularly difficult.
“The United States military trains our veterans to not only effectively do their jobs, but under some of the most rigorous and intense situations imaginable – on the frontlines and battlefields in war zones,” said Senator Whelan, D-Atlantic. “But when these hardworking men and women return home, we often require them to go through duplicative training and credentialing processes to find work here in New Jersey. By removing these unnecessary requirements, we can help our veterans transition faster into the workforce, and ensure continued financial stability for both themselves and their families.”
