If you are a veteran who works for the university, please let us know! The University of Illinois is committed to providing veterans with equal access to employment and educational opportunities, as well as services and supports to assist with the transition from active service to civilian life.

Knowing who our veterans are helps us assess our efforts and meet the evolving needs of the veteran community, so we encourage all veterans who work for the university to self-identify your status by following the instructions below.

Self-identification not only empowers veterans but also provides vital data for our institution to monitor representation, measure progress towards meeting hiring benchmarks, and to assess and improve our broader campus initiatives to support veterans. Submission of this information is entirely voluntary, and there is no negative consequence for choosing not to disclose.

How to select or update your status

For employees wishing to self-identify as a Veteran, please follow these steps.

1. Visit My Profile on the UI System Human Resources website.
2. Select Access My Profile and login with your NetID and password. You will be asked to authenticate using two-factor authentication (2FA) to access your profile.
3. Scroll down to the section called “Demographic Information & Veteran Status”.
4. In that section, the “Veteran Status” item will show your current selection.
5. Click the “Edit” button if you need to make changes.\
6. Be sure to click the “Submit” button to save your changes when you are finished.

Category Definitions

The following categories are provided in accordance with the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (VEVRAA). Responses will be kept confidential and will not be used in any manner that is inconsistent with VEVRAA.

• Disabled Veteran (Protected): (1) veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs; or (2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
• Armed Forces Services Medal Veteran (Protected): a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded.
• Active Duty Wartime or Campaign Badge Veteran (Protected): a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized.
• Protected Veteran: A veteran who qualifies as “protected” under VEVRAA. In addition to the above three categories, recently separated veterans—those who were discharged or released from active duty within the last three years—can qualify as Protected Veterans under VEVRAA. (For more information about Protected Veteran status under VEVRAA, please see the Department of Labor’s “Am I A Protected Veteran?” information page.)
• Not a Protected Veteran: Any veteran that does not qualify under any of the other categories listed.*

*Please note that besides VEVRAA, there are other federal and state laws that secure employment rights of veterans, including the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) and the Illinois Human Rights Act. Protections under these laws are not limited to only “Protected Veterans” as defined by VEVRAA. In addition, Illinois law and University of Illinois policies forbid discrimination against individuals on the basis of unfavorable discharge from the military. So regardless of which of the above veteran categories you select, including “Not a Protected Veteran”, there are certain rights and protections that you are entitled to—and you will help us keep accurate data on the total representation of veterans on our campus.

Thank you for your contributions to our nation, our community, and our campus. If you have any questions, please contact our office by phone (217-333-0885, option #3) or email (accessandequity@illinois.edu).