US Department of Labor honors 772 employers committed to veterans’ employment with 2026 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor recognized 772 employers for their commitment to employing and supporting the nation's service members by presenting them with the 2026 Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Medallion Award.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling and Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training Service Jeremiah Workman presented the awards, which recognize employers for their commitment to supporting U.S. military veterans in the civilian workforce, during a Nov. 12 ceremony at the Frances Perkins Building in Washington.

"Veterans are our nation's heroes and bring proven leadership, a strong work ethic, and the ability to perform under pressure - all valuable skills for employers," said Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. "Under President Trump, the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service is working to ensure employers can access this exceptional talent while helping veterans secure high-skill, high-paying jobs."

Signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2017, the HIRE Vets Medallion Program is the only federal-level program recognizing veteran employment and employers. Over 2,300 employers have earned the award and hired over 321,000 veterans since the program's inception, including more than 40,000 veterans hired by 2026's medallion honorees in the past two years.

Presented annually, recipients of the HIRE Vets Medallion Award include large, medium, and small employers who have attested to meeting rigorous criteria, including veteran hiring and retention, availability of veteran-specific resources, leadership programming, dedicated human resources, compensation and tuition assistance programs for veterans.

Watch the 2026 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards ceremony.

Find a list of this year's award recipients and learn more about the program.