Hiring programmes for veterans and people with records: what US government pages say
Three US government programmes that employers hear about when hiring veterans and people with a past conviction: the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the Federal Bonding Program and registered apprenticeship.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes what three government pages state about each programme. It does not say whether any worker or employer qualifies, and it gives no tax advice. For the worker side of starting over in tree work, see the guide on getting backed.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (Internal Revenue Service)
The IRS page describes the Work Opportunity Tax Credit as a federal credit for employers who hire people from certain targeted groups that have faced significant barriers to employment. Its "Targeted groups" section lists ten: qualified IV-A (TANF) recipients, qualified veterans, qualified ex-felons, designated community residents, vocational rehabilitation referrals, qualified summer youth employees, qualified SNAP benefits recipients, qualified Supplemental Security Income recipients, long-term family assistance recipients, and qualified long-term unemployment recipients.
| Group | How the IRS page words it |
|---|---|
| Qualified veteran | Veterans who meet one of several unemployment, SNAP or disability conditions |
| Qualified ex-felon | Hired within a year of a felony conviction or release from prison |
| Long-term unemployment recipient | Unemployed at least 27 consecutive weeks and received unemployment compensation |
| Qualified SNAP recipient | Ages 18 to under 40, in a family receiving SNAP benefits |
On amounts, the page says the maximum tax credit is generally US$2,400, which it describes as 40% of up to US$6,000 in wages for a certified first-year employee who works at least 400 hours, with a 25% rate for 120 to 399 hours. On process, it names Form 8850, the Pre-Screening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity Credit, completed by the employer and the applicant on or before the job offer date, and says the employer has 28 calendar days from the new employee's start date to submit it. The page says the credit covers wages for people who begin work on or before December 31, 2025, and shows a review date of July 20, 2026.
Federal Bonding Program
The Federal Bonding Program site says the US Department of Labor established the programme in 1966 to provide fidelity bonds for at-risk, hard-to-place job seekers. It says the bonds cover the first six months of employment, are provided free of charge and carry a US$0 deductible. Its menu links a page titled Find Your State Bonding Coordinator. The page prints no bond amount.
Registered apprenticeship (Apprenticeship.gov)
The employers page of the Department of Labor's Apprenticeship.gov says a registered apprenticeship can help an employer create a future workforce, improve productivity and reduce turnover. It lists tools for starting a programme: expressing interest, a Standards Builder, listing apprenticeship jobs, and an occupation finder and partner finder. For veterans, it says a registered apprenticeship programme can be approved for GI Bill benefits through a State Approving Agency. It also links a page titled "Investments, Tax Credits, and Tuition Support" and prints no funding amounts itself.
For apprenticeship pages in tree care, see the guide on apprenticeships.