Those who feel the pull to work with and care for veterans are in high demand across the country. For Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, the VA's hiring priorities are those in mental health and primary care roles, as they are in the greatest demand. Suicide prevention is also a major concern, as is care for those in rural areas. Incentives including bonuses, relocation expenses and salary bumps are all being used in this historically tight labor market.
The administration currently has 3,500 job postings on USAJobs.com. Those positions, according to Wilkie, would bring the VA to full employment as funded by congressional appropriations. "Staffing requirements are dynamic, and are updated constantly based on new business and workload, such as a growing mission, changes in state-of-the-art healthcare, partnerships with the community, changes in population, and evolving legislative mandates," Christina Mandreucci, the VA's press secretary, said in a statement.
"These vacancies pose a significant challenge to meeting the standards of high quality care for our nation's veterans," Takano said, adding that the physician shortage extends well beyond the VA, with a projected 121,000 needed nationwide over the next few years.
Simply hire older workers and pay them well.