A Massachusetts commission working to include people with disabilities in the workforce is looking at ways to advocate for veterans seeking employment.
Veterans often face unique challenges in navigating the job market due to disabilities, according to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
In a virtual hearing Monday, former veterans shared their experiences including William Kalivas who enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2006.
"In terms of being disabled, I think it's important to remember that a lot of us veterans are dealing with daily pain and there's things that are unseen that are going on as well," Kalivas said.
After serving in Afghanistan in 2012, Kalivas said he returned to Massachusetts to finish his degree and start working, but he said he faced discrimination entering the private sector.
"I had one employer flat out tell me I couldn't work for him because I was in the National Guard and I had to leave a lot, which is a blatant violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act,” Kalivas said.
Kalivas said he switched jobs and does not face this treatment working for the Office of the Massachusetts Treasury. Commission members want to partner with more veterans like Kalivas to hear about the challenges they face entering the workforce.
The HERO Act, passed by Governor Maura Healey last year, states every employer in Massachusetts with more than 50 full-time employees is required to post about services and resources available to veterans.
