Gov. Snyder Signs Legislation to Help Unemployed Veterans

Michigan military veterans with plumbing experience can find a job more quickly after returning to civilian life under a new law signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday.

Public Act 380 of 2012, which was approved unanimously in the Legislature, requires the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to issue a journeyman plumbing license to an applicant who has met certain experience requirements while serving in the military.

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Mark Ouimet, R-Scio Township.

"Military veterans have gained valuable work experience under incredibly demanding conditions, and we should recognize these skills by making it count toward certification requirements back home," Ouimet said. "Veterans have defended our freedoms so honorably. We must do all we can to help them find work after we welcome them home."

A June 2011 report by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee showed that the unemployment rate among veterans in Michigan was significantly higher than the national average. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Michigan veterans had the worst rates of unemployment among veterans.

Public Act 380 is part of a package of laws that help military veterans gain employment in the electrician and plumbing fields.