The Department of Veteran’s Affairs is designed to help our nation’s bravest heroes live their best lives after serving our country. Unfortunately, navigating the VA’s bureaucracy poses many obstacles and creates confusion. Here are 7 ways an experienced federal employment attorney can help you achieve your goals, obtain benefits that you deserve and help you feel back in control:
1. VA Attorneys Help You Receive Disability Benefits
You don’t necessarily need a lawyer to apply for VA benefits. However, the restrictions and limitations on benefits are not intuitive, and errors you make during the application process can have significant and long term financial consequences. A federal employment attorney can also help you fight for a fair outcome if you’ve received a denial, and you’re hoping to appeal the decision.
2.Title 5 Matters
If you’re a non-medical employee working for the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, you have many of the same rights as Title 38 employees. A VA lawyer can help you with wrongful termination matters, discrimination matters, or any other employment issues.
3.Title 38 Matters
Medical personnel within the VA system, from physicians to nurses, often struggle to understand and protect their numerous employment rights. A VA lawyer can help you navigate the complex system of leave policies, wage concerns, or unfair disciplinary actions.
4. Whistleblowing Protection
Those who uncover fraud or other unethical or illegal actions occurring within the VA system deserve protection. Confronting colleagues, superiors and former friends about misdeeds is never easy, but an experienced attorney can relieve your stress, lay out a step-by-step action plan and help you do the right thing.
5. Disciplinary Appeals
VA employees endure disciplinary actions through a complex set of bylaws and governing boards. If your professional competence has come into question, you’ll likely face a hearing from the Professional Standards Board (PSB). If the PSB rules unfavorably, you’ll need an experienced DAB attorney by your side to represent your interests.
6.Collective Bargaining Concerns
Title 38, Title 5, and hybrid employees are often given the right to negotiate their wages and hours through the power of collective bargaining. If you believe your interests aren’t being accurately represented, a VA attorney can help you secure a fair outcome.
7. Navigating the System
As a Veteran’s Affairs employee, you may feel subject to alphabet soup: subcommittees like the PSB, DBA, EIB, MSPB, and the EEO all govern your professional career. VA lawyers speak the unique and often confusing language of the federal government.
To obtain an excellent outcome, please consider calling for a free consultation. Our team has substantial experience fighting and winning for VA employees.
Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative.
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