BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)--State officials on Thursday announced the launch of a veterans' equity dashboard and promoted the availability of a $2,500 tax credit that small businesses can claim for hiring qualified veterans, ahead of National Veterans and Military Families Month commemorated each November. Veterans typically have a lower unemployment rate and slightly higher labor force participation than the general public, according to the newly-launched dashboard. There were more than 240,000 veterans in Massachusetts as of 2022, and over 100,000 were in the typical working age of 18 to 64 years old.  ‘Dine to Donate’ event to support Soldier On veterans programs In 2022, the latest available data, veterans in Massachusetts faced a 3.3 percent unemployment rate, according to the Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS). The unemployment rate throughout the whole state that year was 3.5 percent.  Still, Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago said there is more to be done to help chronically unemployed veterans.  "As a veteran myself, talking to veterans, hearing from them, hearing their stories, when they transitioned back from their military careers to the civilian sector, the importance of getting a footing in the education and employment sector is typically the first or second thing that comes to their minds. And we have to do more for them," Santiago said. The Veteran Hire Tax Credit aims to help chronically unemployed veterans secure work. It was increased in a law signed in August. The tax credit was created by the Legislature in 2017, meant to be a $2,000 credit for businesses. The Department of Veterans Services under former Gov. Charlie Baker, however, did not make the credit available to businesses, according to EOVS.  Under Santiago, who leads what is now an executive office as its first Cabinet-level secretary, Veterans Services launched the credit in April 2024. The veterans services bill Healey signed in August then increased the credit to $2,500.  Thursday's event was part of an effort by EOVS to make businesses and veterans aware of the credit. It is available to small businesses of under 100 employees that hire qualified veterans, including those receiving SNAP benefits, chronically unemployed veterans, and unemployed service-connected disabled veterans.  "Chronically unemployed veterans are historically difficult to hire and retain, particularly for small businesses (less than 100 employees.) The tax credit aims to increase the likelihood of hiring more chronically unemployed veterans while supporting small businesses," EOVS said. Santiago called it "a critical door opener." "While veterans can bring a unique set of skills, resilience and dedication, too many times, they face insurmountable challenges. We just need to help them. And this tax credit can help build that gap for the small businesses that are the backbone of our Massachusetts economy, and give them the opportunity to hire a veteran," he said.  The dashboard is being pitched by the Healey administration as an interactive resource spotlighting the workforce experiences of veterans, and providing data designed to improve employment outcomes for veterans.  It went live Thursday morning, showing an aggregation of employment statistics of Massachusetts veterans across different demographic groups.  The tool, a collaboration between the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development's Department of Economic Research and EOVS, is intended to showcase workforce outcomes among different demographic groups to inform both policymaking and job hunting.  "The demographics tab includes population trends and a breakdown by age, disability status, race, ethnicity and geographic distribution. This information will be really helpful for policymakers trying to optimize service, because it gives them a better understanding of where veterans live," said Lisa Hemmerle, the director of EOLWD's Department of Economic Research. "Veterans who are maybe in the midst of career planning can use this to help identify where their military service could translate into higher median earnings."