Did you know? Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference in hiring for many Federal government jobs—including jobs at VA. This is called Veterans’ Preference. Prioritizing Veteran hires allows VA and other Federal agencies to benefit from the unique skills Veterans gained in the military and give back to those who served our country.
Despite existing in some form since the Civil War, there are still some misconceptions about Veterans’ Preference. Let’s clear up a few common ones.
Misconception #1: Veterans’ Preference applies to all Federal jobs.
Veterans’ Preference applies to many Federal jobs. However, it does not apply to positions in the Senior Executive Service or Executive Branch positions that require Senate confirmation. It also does not apply to Title 38 positions, which focus on direct patient care and research roles within the VA health care system.
Misconception #2: Veterans’ Preference can help Veterans get promotions
Veterans’ Preference provides Veteran candidates with an advantage in the hiring process for new roles. It does not apply to promotions, reassignments, transfers or reinstatements.
Misconception #3: Veterans’ Preference guarantees Federal employment for Veterans.
While Veterans’ Preference does give Veterans an edge in the selection process, they still need to meet job requirements and qualifications. While hiring managers must give priority consideration to qualified Veterans, they still get to decide the best candidate for the job.
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VA believes strongly in the value of the military experience and is committed to hiring Veterans. Learn more about Veterans’ Preference on VA Careers.
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This is more preference than a DEI program. DEI aims for equal opportunity, i.e. that a more qualified minority gets a job over a less qualified non-minority applicant.
Fact; Vetern preference is not honored honored at the Portland VA VISN20.
I am a 10-point disabled veteran who, in 1969, was hired by the USPOD, now he USPS, for the position of Distribution Clerk. I was given 90 days to memorize 714 items and pass a test with 97% accuracy or better. My veterans preference was of no value on that test. I was, however, protected from discrimination due to my service-connected disability. Postal Management are “Equal Opportunity” abusers of employees.
What a great bit of information and a topic that I have discussed and reviewed in length without clear understanding.
As a hiring manager for Tile 38 nurses who provide direct patient care the postings are advertised as:
“Veterans’ Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP)”
Once the application is processed through usastaffing, the veteran applicant receives notification that preference was applied to the application:
“Based on the application package you submitted and/or the answers provided on the occupational questionnaire you were found: CPS – 10-point preference based on a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more.
Eligible for the following position or positions:
VN-0610-00; We reviewed your application and found you eligible for this series/grade combination.”
So here are my confusions…
1) Why is the VA advertising “direct care” nursing positions with preference taken into consideration if not applicable?
2) Why is the VA sending emails of notification of preference being applied to the application when title 38 direct patient care or excluded?
This issue appears not to be isolated. A review of national jobs on USAJOBS for VA direct care nursing roles reveals a repeated pattern of advertising positions as preference eligible, only for preference to be dismissed post hoc under the Title 38 exemption. This practice may create misleading expectations, discourage veteran applicants and potentially violates the spirit of EEOC MD-715 and internal VA merit-based hiring principles.
To add one other nuance- When the veteran receives the notification of preference being applied, it includes the pay code VN-0610-00, which is specifically direct care nursing.
All feedback is welcomed.
Mark –
I read this article and had the same thoughts. I am employed as a Hybrid Title 38 and also a hiring manager for both Title 38 and Title 5. I have had the same experience with this “false advertising.”
As a VA staff member and a Veteran I have noticed the VAs enthusiasm to advertise Veteran benefits regardless of the accuracy of the messaging. I separated from active duty in 2011 after seven years of service and four deployments to the Middle East, and yet without a service connected disability, I was not eligible for the majority of VA benefits – including health care (I had too much money in my name). Yet every few months I would get a letter in the mail urging me to “take advantage of the benefits I earned,” and as a healthy and injury-free Veteran, the benefits started and ended with a VA loan. This went on for years before an old injury finally resurfaced and I was able to put in a disability claim.
As a VA provider, I also run into this misconception from other Veterans. The VA does a terrible job of relating the “fine print” to Veterans in their relentless advertising. At worst, it fosters a sense of entitlement among Veterans to all these benefits. At best it creates confusion and frustration.
The VA is a huge agency, and while I understand benefits are very complicated and specific to each Veteran’s situation, I would love to see more responsible messaging. This article was insightful, but like you pointed out, if USAJobs continues to advertise Veteran Preference inaccurately, you will continue to bear the burden of educating disappointed applicants.
More importantly, as a VN Vet and POW I need preference with the legal system as a Veteran to have substantial issues resolved either administratively or judicially on fundamental constitutional issues I was told I was being drafted to protect and perfect. I recently sent a letter to the VA Secretary in DC needing help. Thanks.
Reading this article brought me right back to when I got out of the Marine Corps, June 29, 1972. I was a Vietnam vet who during that Fall of1972 took and passed the police physical and written exam. At the time, a Federal Judge Garrity was working on the desegregation of the Boston Public Schools. I was an MP in the Corps and was looking forward to serving in the police force. For some reason or other, Judge Garrity gave us vets another boot in the A..! He decided that the exam was discriminatory against the minorities in Boston. I rest my Peace and that is History.