Veterans’ Preference Briefing for Veteran Applicants

What Is Preference? Preference consists of giving qualified, eligible veterans an advantage over others in competition for most Federal jobs 2

Types of Preference Veterans’ preference may be applied in one of two ways:  Addition of 5 or 10 points to a candidate’s earned passing score on a job examination  Category ranking in which those eligible for veteran’s preference are placed at the top of each category 3

Who Gets Preference? Individuals eligible for veterans’ preference include:  Certain veterans due to qualifying service  Veterans with a service-connected disability due to active duty  Certain spouses, widows, widowers, and mothers of deceased or disabled veterans 4

Definitions (5 Point Veteran) A five (5) point veteran is an individual who:  Served on active duty in the Armed Forces during a war, in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, or between 4/28/52 and 7/1/55  Served on active duty, other than for training for more than 180 consecutive days, at any time between 1/31/55 and 10/15/76 5

Definitions (5 Point Veteran) cont’d  Served during the Gulf War from August 2,1990, through January 2, 1992  Served on active duty, other than for training, at any time in the armed forces for a period more than 180 consecutive days any part of which occurred during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on the date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law as the last date of Operation Iraqi Freedom  Released or discharged from active duty under honorable conditions 6

Definitions (10 Point Veteran) A ten (10) point veteran is an individual who:  Served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of at least 10 percent but less than 30 percent  Served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more 7

Definitions (10 Point Veteran) cont’d A ten (10) point veteran is an individual who:  Served at any time and has a present service- connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs or a veteran who received a Purple Heart 8

When Does Veterans’ Preference Apply?  Veterans’ Preference applies to most positions in the Federal Executive Branch of Government  Applies to permanent (career), temporary, term, and time-limited appointments  Does not apply to internal promotion, transfers, or reassignments  Does not apply to Legislative or Judicial Branches of Government 9

Documentation Needed for Preference  Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214)  Documentation showing discharge or release from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions  Documentation from the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense which shows the existence of a service-connected disability  Standard Form 15 (SF-15) when claiming 10 point preference 10

Complaints  The Veterans Employment Opportunity Act allows preference eligibles to complain to Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans Employment and Training Services (VETS) when the person believes an agency has violated his or her rights under any law or regulation relating to veterans’ preference  If DOL VETS is unable to resolve, the case may go to Merit System Protection Board and the courts  For assistance, visit 11