New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) today reported that the final 2013 State budget to be approved later this weekend will include one of his initiatives to assist returning veterans to find employment. For two years, Thiele has sponsored legislation to provide New York State based private employers with a tax credit to encourage them to hire returning veterans. The final State budget will include such a proposal.

Under the agreement in the final budget, employers will get a $10,000 tax credit for hiring a veteran; the credit will be $15,000, in the case of disabled veterans. Any veteran who joined the service after September 11, 2001 will be defined as a veteran for whom an employer will be eligible for a tax credit.

Thiele stated, “Veterans across the State are struggling to find employment in private sector industries still recovering from the recession. Unemployment has been as high as 20% for veterans under the age of 30 who have recently returned from Iraq or Afghanistan. Many have service connected disabilities. The passage of this legislation will insure that our veterans who risked their lives for their country will have real economic opportunity when they return home. With all American troops out of Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan winding down, the need for the enactment of this proposal is overdue.”

This is the second piece of Thiele legislation included in the 2013 State Budget. The State Budget also includes a Thiele proposal to make the repeal of the saltwater fishing license permanent.