Overview
The New York State Department of Labor Veterans’ Program has specialized staff that are dedicated to helping veterans and eligible persons gain a competitive edge in today’s labor market.
As a veteran or eligible person, you receive priority services in all New York State employment and training programs for which you are eligible and qualified. This priority of service is guaranteed by federal law and by the New York State Veterans Bill of Rights for Employment Services.
We are proud to offer Priority of Service to veterans and their eligible spouses. This means that if you served on Active Duty in the United States Armed Forces, you will:
- Be served first by the next available staff member
- Get first priority for jobs and training for which you are eligible and qualified
Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program Specialists
Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program Specialists (DVOPs) are disabled veterans themselves. They provide individual career services exclusively to veterans and eligible persons who have significant barriers to employment. They also provide a full range of employment services, including comprehensive assessments, individual employment plans, job referrals, referrals to training and support services, and resume and interview preparation assistance.
List of Disabled Veterans' Outreach Specialists
| Albany-Schenectady | Melissa Balan DVOP (518) 462-7600 [email protected] |
Career Central |
Albany Office |
| Allegany-Cattaraugus | Scott Warner DVOP (716) 373-1880 [email protected] |
Allegany County Employment and Training Center |
Olean Office |
| Bronx | Ozias Batista DVOP (718) 960-7922 [email protected] |
Bronx Workforce1 Career Center |
Bronx Office |
| Broome-Tioga | Jim Davies DVOP (607) 778-2257 [email protected] |
Broome Workforce |
Binghamton Office |
| Chautauqua | Daniel "Len" Culbreth DVOP (716) 487-5192 [email protected] |
Jamestown Career Center |
Jamestown Office |
| Chemung-Schuyler-Steuben | Gary Hogate DVOP (607) 733-7131 ext. 2113 [email protected] |
CSS Workforce NY |
Elmira Office |
| Chenango-Delaware-Otsego | William Haines DVOP (607) 334-2201 [email protected] |
CDO Workforce Center |
Norwich Office |
| Clinton-Essex-Franklin-Hamilton | Manny Seck DVOP (518) 561-0430 [email protected] |
OneWorkSource Business and Employment Center |
Plattsburgh Office |
| Dutchess-Ulster |
Edward Himko |
Dutchess Career Center 191 Main Street Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 |
Poughkeepsie Office |
| Erie | Evette Spencer DVOP (716) 851-2600 [email protected] |
Buffalo Career Center |
Buffalo Office |
| Erie | Matejka Baumgardner DVOP (716) 634-9081 [email protected] |
Williamsville Career Center |
Williamsville Office |
| Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie | Ralph Grugnale DVOP (518) 842-2240 ext. 3058 [email protected] |
Amsterdam Workforce Solution Center |
Amsterdam Office |
| Genesee-Orleans | Nicholas Brown DVOP (585) 344-2042 ext. 4224 [email protected] |
Genesee County Career Center |
Batavia Office |
| Jefferson-Lewis | Bruce Goodnough DVOP (315) 786-3657 [email protected] |
The WorkPlace |
Watertown Office |
| Jefferson-Lewis | Brian Jackson DVOP (315) 772-7099 [email protected] |
Lowville Work Place |
Loweville Office Fort Drum Office |
| Kings | Giselle Jolly DVOP (718) 613-3704 [email protected] |
Workforce1 Career Center |
Brooklyn Office |
| Kings | Len McRae DVOP (718) 613-3867 [email protected] |
Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center |
Brooklyn Office |
| Livingston-Wyoming | Shawn Murphy DVOP (585) 786-3145 [email protected] |
Warsaw Career Center |
Warsaw Office |
| Monroe | Roberto Ramos DVOP (585) 371-9168 [email protected] |
NYSDOL/Rochester Works! Career Center |
Rochester Office |
| Monroe | Christopher Torres DVOP (585) 258-3500 ext. 3202 [email protected] |
Rochester Works Career Center |
Rochester Office |
| Nassau | Ingrid Alexander DVOP (516) 934-8531 [email protected] |
Hicksville Career Center |
Hicksville Office |
| Nassau | George Roach DVOP (516) 240-2881 [email protected] |
Hempstead Works Career Center |
Hempstead Office |
| Niagara | Ian Bone DVOP (716) 278-8258 [email protected] |
Niagaras WorkSourceOne |
Niagara Falls Office |
| New York | Mery Lezama DVOP (212) 775-3771 [email protected] |
Lower Manhattan Workforce1 Career Central |
Varick St Office |
| Onondaga | William Burns DVOP (315) 477-6908 [email protected] |
Cayuga Works Career Center |
Syracuse Office |
| Onondaga | Matthew Sheehan DVOP (315) 477-6919 [email protected] |
Cayuga Works Career Center |
Syracuse Office |
| Ontario-Seneca-Wayne-Yates | Michelle Coomber DVOP (315) 789-1771 ext. 115 [email protected] |
New York State Department of Labor – Geneva |
Geneva Office |
| Orange-Sullivan | Paul Sangalli DVOP (845) 360-0349 [email protected] |
Orange Works Career Center |
Middletown Office |
| Oswego | Bret Farritor DVOP (315) 591-9300 [email protected] |
Oswego Workforce New York |
Oswego Office |
| Queens | Jimmy Vargas DVOP (718) 557-6711 [email protected] |
Queens Workforce 1 Career Center |
Jamaica Office |
| Queens | Edward Dalton DVOP (718) 661-5005 [email protected] |
Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center 138-60 Barclay Ave. |
Flushing Office |
| Richmond | Rapcelies Almonte DVOP (718) 285-8483 ext. 5483 [email protected] |
Staten Island Workforce 1 Career Center |
Staten Island Office |
| Saratoga-Warren-Washington | Anthony Ruggiero DVOP (518) 743-0925 ext. 8884 [email protected] |
Career Center of Warren County |
Glens Falls Office |
| St. Lawrence | Matthew Flynn DVOP (315) 769-3596 [email protected] |
St. Lawrence Career Center |
Massena Office |
| Steuben | Kelli Everett DVOP (607) 324-8388 [email protected] |
Hornell Career Center |
Hornell Office |
| Suffolk | Michael Antidormi DVOP (631) 687-4851 [email protected] |
Workforce NY Career Center |
Patchogue Office |
| Suffolk | Joann Ashley DVOP (631) 687-48911 [email protected] |
Workforce NY Career Center |
Patchogue Office |
| Suffolk | Steven Maieli DVOP (631) 687-4851 [email protected] |
Workforce NY Career Center |
Patchogue Office |
| Westchester-Putnam | Frank James Casillas III DVOP (914) 737-3490 ext. 303 mailto:[email protected] |
Peekskill Employment Center |
Peekskill Office |
Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives
Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVERs) staff are also veterans. They specialize in advocating on behalf of veterans and eligible persons with business, industry, and community organizations to promote employment and training opportunities. They also provide services for veterans and eligible persons, including job matching and job placement, conduct employer outreach, inform Federal contractors of the process to hire qualified veterans, and promote credentialing and licensing opportunities.
List of Local Veterans' Employment Representatives
| Albany-Schenectady | William Shay LVER (518) 462-7600 [email protected] |
Career Central |
Albany Office |
| Allegany-Cattaraugus-Chautauqua | Vicky America LVER (716) 363-6071 [email protected] |
Allegany County Employment and Training Center |
Dunkirk Office |
| Bronx | Jake Lewis LVER (718) 960-7901 [email protected] |
Bronx Workforce1 Career Center |
Bronx Office |
| Broome-Tioga-Tompkins | William Fowler LVER (607) 778-2218 [email protected] |
Broome Workforce |
Binghamton Office |
| Cayuga-Cortland-Madison | Matt Brennan LVER (315) 255-4908 [email protected] |
Cayuga Works Career Center |
Auburn Office |
| Chemung-Schuyler-Steuben | Frank Vaughan LVER (607) 324-8388 [email protected] |
Hornell Career Center |
Hornell Office |
| Clinton | Joanna Colgan LVER (518) 561-0430 [email protected] |
OneWorkSource |
Plattsburgh |
| Columbia-Greene-Rensselaer | Pradeep Inampudi LVER (518) 828-4181 x4204 [email protected] |
Rensselaer County Career Center |
Troy Office |
| Dutchess-Sullivan-Ulster | Lisa Padilla-Hansen LVER (845) 443-8066 x17 [email protected] |
New York State Department of Labor |
Kingston Office |
| Erie | Walter Wallace LVER (716) 851-2638 [email protected] |
Buffalo Employment and Training Center |
Buffalo Office |
| Genesee | Neil Gagne LVER (585) 244-2042 ext. 4211 [email protected] |
Genesee County Career Center |
Batavia Office |
| Monroe | Kevin Melia LVER (585) 266-7760 [email protected] |
Rochester Works |
Rochester Office |
| New York | Gabriel Nava LVER (917) 493-7200 [email protected] |
Upper Manhattan Workforce1 Career Center |
Upper Manhattan Office |
| Onondaga | Ralph Turner LVER (315) 477-6930 [email protected] |
CNY Works |
Syracuse Office |
| Ontario-Wayne-Seneca-Yates | Christopher Caughey LVER (315) 789-1771 [email protected] |
New York State Department of Labor – Geneva |
Geneva Office |
| Orange-Rockland | Elizabeth Ober LVER (845) 360-0343 [email protected] |
Orange Works Career Center |
Middletown Office |
| Orleans | Stephen Bragg LVER (585) 589-5335 [email protected] |
Orleans Center for Workforce Development |
Albion Office |
| Putnam-Westchester |
John O'Shaughnessy |
Yonkers Employment Center |
Yonkers Office |
| St. Lawrence | Michael Casselman LVER (315) 772-7099 [email protected] |
The WorkPlace |
Watertown Office |
| Suffolk | Alicia Evangelist LVER (631) 687-4810 [email protected] |
Workforce NY Career Center |
Patchogue Office |
| Warren-Washington-Saratoga | Lorraine Gardephe LVER (518) 824-8893 [email protected] |
Warren County Career Center |
Glens Falls Office |
Training and Education Opportunities
There are a variety of programs available at the state level and nationally to help Veterans translate their military experience into academic credit, a professional credential or certification. There's also specialized training programs, apprenticeships and various education benefit programs to assist Vets with forging their way after serving their country.
Experience Counts
Governor Cuomo’s “Experience Counts” program grants veterans credit toward state licenses for military experience. For example, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) fees can be waived for military members with recent experience driving trucks and heavy equipment during their service. The program also recognizes certain military training as credit towards licensure for veterans to become armed and unarmed security guards.
Temporary Hiring Program
The New York State Department of Civil Service hosts the Veterans Temporary Hiring Program Portal which provides a centralized location for qualifying Post9/11 veterans to submit up-to-date employment and contact information to be considered by New York State agencies hiring for temporary positions.
Contact and Additional Resources
For information about Department of Labor veterans services, call 1-888-469-7365 and ask for the Veterans Program. For information about veterans benefits, contact the New York State Division of Veterans Affairs, call 1-888-VETS-NYS or visit veterans.ny.gov.