A Message from the Director

Washington State Celebrates 1,000 employers and 4,300 Veterans Hired through the YesVets Initiative

By WDVA Director, Alfie Alvarado-Ramos

We are truly honored to announce that 1,000 employers have hired more than 4,300 veterans as of this September through the YesVets Initiative.  We know that hiring veterans is a great way to tap an already skilled talent pool and to retain a diverse labor force in our state.

The YesVets Hiring Initiative is a partnership between the Employment Security Department, chambers of commerce, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs and Washington State Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).  This veteran hiring campaign was created to recognize and thank employers who choose to say, “YES” to hiring veterans in Washington State. 

After an employer hires a veteran, they are presented with a YesVets window decal and vehicle bumper sticker to display at their business to demonstrate support for America’s veterans. The window decal includes a year sticker to let their customers know how many years they have participated by hiring veterans.  Businesses may receive a new decal each year as long as they have hired a veteran in that current year.

Typically, employers receive their decals at a local chamber of commerce meeting or at their place of business.  They are then featured on social media with the #YesVets hashtag and are invited to an annual YesVets Employer Recognition Event.  

​​​​​​To our Veteran Service Organizations and other non-profit partners, you are eligible to participate in YesVets too!  Any employer can sign up and once you hire a veteran, you’ll receive the same recognition as any other business.

I commend the work of our partners in the YesVets Initiative, Employment Security Department, Chambers of Commerce and Washington State Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), for all of their hard work in growing this important campaign that is helping to employ thousands of veterans.  Washington State continues to urge businesses to say “yes” to the state’s veterans when filling open positions.

Interested employers can learn more and sign up before or after hiring a veteran at www.YesVets.org.

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