§4115. Longitudinal study of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans

(a) Study Required.-(1) The Secretary shall enter into a contract with a non-government entity to conduct a longitudinal study of a statistically valid sample of each of the groups of individuals described in paragraph (2). The contract shall provide for the study of each such group over a period of at least 5 years.

(2) The groups of individuals described in this paragraph are the following:

(A) Veterans who have received intensive services.

(B) Veterans who did not receive intensive services but who otherwise received services under this chapter.

(C) Veterans who did not seek or receive services under this chapter.

(3) The study required by this subsection shall include the collection of the following information for each individual who participates in the study:

(A) The average number of months such individual served on active duty.

(B) The disability ratings of such individual.

(C) Any unemployment benefits received by such individual.

(D) The average number of months such individual was employed during the year covered by the report.

(E) The average annual starting and ending salaries of any such individual who was employed during the year covered by the report.

(F) The average annual income of such individual.

(G) The average total household income of such individual for the year covered by the report.

(H) The percentage of such individuals who own their principal residences.

(I) The employment status of such individual.

(J) In the case of such an individual who received services under this chapter, whether the individual believes that any service provided by a disabled veterans' outreach program specialist or local veterans' employment representative helped the individual to become employed.

(K) In the case of such an individual who believes such a service helped the individual to become employed, whether-

(i) the individual retained the position of employment for a period of 1 year or longer; and

(ii) the individual believes such a service helped the individual to secure a higher wage or salary.

(L) The conditions under which such individual was discharged or released from the Armed Forces.

(M) Whether such individual has used any educational assistance to which the individual is entitled under this title.

(N) Whether such individual has participated in a rehabilitation program under chapter 31 of this title.

(O) Whether such individual had contact with a One-Stop Career Center employee while attending a workshop or job fair under the Transition GPS Program of the Department of Defense.

(P) Demographic information about such individual.

(Q) Such other information as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(b) Annual Report.-(1) By not later than July 1 of each year covered by the study required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the outcomes of the study during the preceding year.

(2) The Secretary shall include in each report submitted under paragraph (1) the following:

(A) Information with respect to job fairs attended by One-Stop Career Center employees at which the employees had contact with a veteran, including, for the year preceding the year in which the report is submitted, the following:

(i) The number of job fairs attended by One-Stop Career Center employees at which the employees had contact with a veteran.

(ii) The number of veterans contacted at each such job fair.

(B) Such information as the Secretary determines is necessary to determine the long-term outcomes of the individuals in the groups described in subsection (a)(2).

(Added Pub. L. 114–315, title V, §502(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1566 .)