🗞️ Record-Breaking 888 Employers Honored for Veteran Hiring Excellence
The U.S. Department of Labor recognized 888 employers with the 2025 HIRE Vets Medallion Award for their exceptional commitment to recruiting, employing, and retaining American veterans, marking the highest number of recipients since the program began in 2019.
The U.S. Department of Labor honored 888 employers on January 29, 2026, with the 2025 Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans (HIRE Vets) Medallion Award during a ceremony at the Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C. This recognition represents the largest cohort of award recipients since the program's inception in 2019.
Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer emphasized that the award recipients have demonstrated dedication to employing veterans across all business sizes, from small-town businesses to Fortune 500 companies. The 2025 honorees collectively hired more than 74,000 veterans over the past two years, contributing to the program's total impact of nearly 290,000 veterans employed since its establishment.
The HIRE Vets Medallion Program, created by the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2017 and enacted on May 5, 2017, remains the only federal-level recognition program specifically designed to honor employers for veteran employment excellence. The program evaluates employers based on rigorous criteria including veteran hiring and retention percentages, availability of veteran-specific resources, leadership development programs, dedicated human resources support, and compensation and tuition assistance programs.
Since 2019, over 2,200 employers have earned a total of 5,371 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards. The awards are categorized by employer size—large (500+ employees), medium (51-499 employees), and small (50 or fewer employees)—and offered at two levels: platinum and gold. Of the 888 recipients in 2025, 323 organizations achieved platinum status, the program's highest recognition level.
Recipients gain the right to display the HIRE Vets Medallion in their marketing materials and recruitment efforts, signaling to prospective veteran employees and customers their commitment to supporting those who have served. The recognition process requires employers to submit applications with self-attestation of meeting specific criteria, pay an application fee based on company size, and undergo verification by the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service to ensure compliance with veteran-related labor laws.
Key Points
- Record Recognition: 888 employers received the 2025 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, the highest number since the program began in 2019
- Recent Impact: Award recipients hired more than 74,000 veterans in the past two years
- Total Program Impact: Nearly 290,000 veterans have been employed by participating companies since 2017
- Federal Recognition: Only federal-level program specifically honoring employer commitment to veteran employment
- Award Tiers: Awards available in two levels (platinum and gold) across three employer size categories
- Platinum Achievement: 323 organizations earned platinum status in 2025
- Historical Growth: Annual awards increased from 429 employers in 2019 to 888 in 2025
- Rigorous Standards: Employers must meet criteria for hiring rates, retention, veteran resources, leadership programs, and benefits
- Legislative Foundation: Established by the HIRE Vets Act enacted in May 2017
- Application Timeline: The 2026 award cycle opens January 31, 2026
Primary Source Author: U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service
Primary Source: U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service
Primary Source Link: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/vets/vets20260130
