The preference system awards points to eligible veterans and some of their family members, so that if many people are competing for the same job, veterans and some of their family members may appear higher on the list. For more information, contact the Office of Personnel Management.
Similar preferences apply to employment in state government.
Since the time of the Civil War, veterans of the Armed Forces have been given some degree of preference in appointments to Federal jobs. Recognizing that sacrifices are made by those serving in the Armed Forces, Congress enacted laws to prevent veterans seeking Federal employment from being penalized because of the time spent in military service. By law, 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 over non-veterans both in Federal hiring practices and in retention during reductions in force. Nor does it apply to promotions or other in service actions. However, preference does provide a uniform method by which special consideration is given to qualified veterans seeking Federal employment.