Drafter
Clerk 03/22/2012
Title
A MOTION related to the establishment of a veterans internship program in King County, requesting the department of executive services human resources management division, to prepare and submit, for council review and acceptance, a report that evaluates the feasibility and implementation of a veterans internship program in King County.
Body
WHEREAS, for many veterans of the United States military returning home to civilian life creates many challenges, and
WHEREAS, acquiring a job can be the most difficult challenge of all for returning veterans, and
WHEREAS, veterans with military experience sometimes have difficulty presenting their skills and abilities to employers in the civilian workforce, and
WHEREAS, the unemployment rate for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts has remained consistently higher than the nation's, and
WHEREAS, the men and women of our military acquire tremendous technical and leadership skills in a great many professions during their training and deployment and
WHEREAS, a veterans internship program would assist veterans with the transition to the civilian workforce, including developing on the job experience and training for a wide variety of careers in county government, and
WHEREAS, a veterans internship program would help King County government departments and agencies develop an understanding of the applicable skills and abilities that returning veterans offer to the government work force, and
WHEREAS, our veterans and returning soldiers put their lives on hold when the nation called, and
WHEREAS, we as a county honor the service and sacrifice of veterans by welcoming them home, and
WHEREAS, we as a county can provide assistance to veterans in preparing them for entry into the civilian workforce;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The department of executive services, human resources management division, is requested to prepare and submit for council acceptance a report that evaluates the feasibility and implementation of veterans internship programs in King County.
B. The report shall review and evaluate existing county employment policies and practices for veterans and make recommendations on the establishment of paid and unpaid veterans internship programs and include, but not be limited to:
1. How paid and unpaid veterans internship programs would facilitate greater access and remove barriers to King County jobs for veterans;
2. An implementation schedule for establishing paid and unpaid veterans internship programs;
3. Costs to operate the veterans internship program;
4. Potential funding sources for the paid veterans internship program; and
5. Analysis of similar veteran internship programs instituted by municipalities.
C. The report should be transmitted with proposed legislation that would enact paid and or unpaid veterans internship programs.
D. The executive shall transmit to the council the report, proposed legislation and a motion accepting the report by August 23, 2012, in the form of a paper original and an
electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers.
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