On January 2, 2025, former President Joe Biden signed the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (Dole Act) into law. The bill was named in honor of Senator Elizabeth Dole, who has a long history of advocating for veterans and their families alongside her husband, now deceased Senator Bob Dole, who lost the use of his right hand while serving in World War II and famously held a pen in public to avoid shaking hands. The Dole Act significantly bolsters the protections provided by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) to veterans and service members as well as providing other benefits. These benefits include several significant changes which impact employers whose workforces include veterans and service members.

• The Dole Act provides minimum liquidated damage awards of $50,000 for certain USERRA violations and mandates awards for attorneys’ fees for successful USERRA plaintiffs.
• The Dole Act expands USERRA retaliation protections.
• The Dole Act makes it easier for USERRA claimants to obtain early case injunctive relief.
• The Dole Act sets a 3 percent interest rate on back pay awards.

The Dole Act provides broad benefits for veterans and service members, including provisions relating to Veterans Community Care Programs, nursing homes, long-term care, medical treatment, educational assistance, disabilities, and homeless veterans. Included with these benefits is the Employment and Training portion...

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