Have you ever heard the term protected veteran?

If you have never heard that term before, then you may be wondering what it means to be a protected veteran. Having the status of a protected veteran means you are protected by the federal government from discrimination when re-entering the civilian workforce. It means that veterans can’t be discriminated against based on their military service. It also means that if the veteran has suffered a disability during service, then reasonable requirements should be made to allow them to continue working.

So, what is a protected veteran? 

Who Qualifies as a Protected Veteran

1. Disabled Veterans. A veteran who served on active duty in the military and who is entitled to disability compensation or a veteran who was discharged because of a service-connected disability.
2. Recently Separated Veterans. A veteran separated within three years of the veteran’s discharge or release from active duty in the military.
3. Armed Forces Service Medal Veterans. A veteran who participated in a US military operation that received an Armed Forces Service Medal while serving on active duty.
4. Other Protected Veterans. Any veteran who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized.

While the protected veteran status depends on several different things, it is easy to understand compared to some of the other different protected workers’ statuses.

The whole point of having protected veterans is to prevent discrimination in the workplace, allowing veterans to re-enter the workforce seamlessly after serving in the military. It also allows them to have appropriate accommodations at the same time.