Thank you for your service! Exciting Federal job opportunities are available across our country and around the world! Planning early is a smart decision. This information will help you understand veterans' preference, how Federal jobs are filled, and unique veteran appointing authorities designed to help you find a Federal job.
Veterans' Preference gives eligible veterans preference in appointment over many other applicants. Veterans' preference applies to all new appointments in the competitive service and many in the excepted service. Veterans' preference does not guarantee veterans a job and it does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions, transfers, reassignments and reinstatements.
Understanding how veterans' preference works can be a challenge. In accordance with title 5, United States Code, Section 2108 (5 USC 2108) veterans' preference eligibility can be based on dates of active duty service, receipt of a campaign badge, receipt of a Purple Heart, or a service-connected disability. Please know that not all active duty service may qualify for veterans' preference.
Only veterans discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions are eligible for veterans' preference. This means you must have been discharged under an honorable or general discharge. Under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, an individual who has reason to believe s/he will be entitled to veterans’ preference upon discharge may apply for a position in advance of the discharge, and receive consideration as a preference eligible, if the service member is able to provide a certification that s/he is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days from the date of the certification; the circumstances of the discharge are verified at the time of actual appointment.
If you are a "retired member of the armed forces" you are not included in the definition of preference eligible unless you are a disabled veteran OR you retired below the rank of major or its equivalent.
There are basically three types of preference eligibility, sole survivorship (0 point preference eligible), non-disabled (5 point preference eligible) and disabled (10 point preference eligible).
You are a 0-point preference eligible if you were released or discharged from a period of active duty from the armed forces, after August 29, 2008, by reason of being the only surviving child in a family in which the father or mother or one or more siblings:
No points are added to the passing score or rating of 0 point preference eligible, but you are entitled to be listed ahead of non-preference eligibles with the same score on an examination, or in the same quality category.
You are a 5 point preference eligible if your active duty service meets any of the following:
You are a 10 point preference eligible if you served at any time, and you:
Now that we have discussed your preference eligibility and the associated points, let's discuss preference groups. Preference eligibles are divided into five basic groups as follows:
The letters preceding each category, e.g., "TP," are a shorthand reference used by OPM in competitive examinations. Disabled veterans receive 10 points regardless of their disability rating.
In the competitive service, when agencies use a numerical rating and ranking system to determine the best qualified applicants for a position, an additional 5 or 10 points are added to the numerical score of qualified preference eligible veterans.
When an agency uses a category rating system, preference eligibiles who have a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more (CPS, CP) are placed at the top of the highest category on the referral list (except for scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). XP and TP preference eligibles are placed above non-preference eligibles within their assigned category.
For positions excepted from the competitive service by the President or OPM, agencies must follow one of the options laid out in 5 CFR, part 302 of OPM’s regulations, unless the position is not only in the excepted service, but also exempt from part 302 procedures.
For positions excepted from the competitive service by statute, agencies must follow any rules that Congress imposes.
You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. Acceptable documentation may be:
A copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions;
A "certification" that is a written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed; OR
A Standard Form (SF-15 (PDF file)), Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. If you are claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit an (SF-15 (PDF file)).
You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center or online.
Prior to appointment, an agency will require the service member to provide a copy of the DD-214.
Use the Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor to examine which preferences you might be entitled with regard to Federal jobs.
Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans are just that…designed for veterans. Knowing about these authorities and identifying your eligibility can enhance your job search. These special authorities represent a few of many appointing authorities that agencies may use as authorized. Veterans are not entitled to appointment under any of these authorities, but knowledge that an agency intends to consider candidates pursuant to such an authority may enhance a veteran’s chances to be considered. Check the vacancy announcements, which should clearly state Who May Apply.
Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) is an excepted authority that allows an agency to non-competitively appoint an eligible veteran. If you:
You can be appointed under this authority at any grade level up to and including a GS-11 or equivalent. This is an excepted service appointment. Upon satisfactory completion of 2 years of substantially continuous service, you will be converted to the competitive service. If an agency has two or more VRA candidates and at least one is preference eligible, the veterans' preference procedures of 5 CFR, part 302 of OPM’s regulations must be applied when using the VRA authority.
Agencies may also use VRA to fill temporary (not to exceed 1 year) or term (more than 1 year but not to exceed 4 years) positions. If you are employed in a temporary or term position under VRA, you will not be converted to the competitive service after 2 years.
There is no limit to the number of times you can apply under VRA, as long as you meet the definition of a covered veteran under applicable law.
You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15 (PDF file)), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference."
The 30% or More Disabled Veteran authority allows an agency to non-competitively appoint any veteran with a 30% or more service-connected disability.
You are eligible if you:
This authority can be used to make temporary (at least 60 days but not to exceed 1 year) or term (more than 1 year, but not more than 4) appointments in the competitive service. There is no grade level restriction. There is no requirement that you be converted to a permanent position, but an agency has the authority to convert such a position to a permanent position if it chooses to do so.
The agency would first place you on a time limited appointment of at least 60 days and could then convert that appointment to a permanent appointment at management's discretion. When the authority is used to meet a time-limited need, however, you will not be converted to a permanent appointment.
You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15 (PDF file)), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference."
The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998, as amended (VEOA) provides preference eligibles and certain eligible veterans the opportunity to compete for certain positions announced under an agency’s merit promotion procedures. It applies only when the agency is filling a permanent, competitive service position and has decided to solicit candidates from outside its own workforce. It allows eligible veterans and preference eligibles to apply to announcements that would otherwise be open to so called "status" candidates, i.e., "current competitive service employees and certain prior employees who have earned competitive status."
To be eligible to be considered pursuant to VEOA appointment, your latest, discharge must be issued under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), AND you must be either:
When agencies recruit from outside their own workforce under merit promotion procedures, their announcements must state VEOA is applicable. As a VEOA eligible you are not subject to geographic area of consideration limitations. When applying under VEOA, you must rate and rank among the best qualified applicants, overall, to be considered for appointment. The preference conferred, in this case, is the opportunity to compete; the statute confers no entitlement to be selected ahead of non-preference eligible candidates. Your veterans' preference does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions, transfers, reassignments and reinstatements.
Current or former Federal employees meeting VEOA eligibility can apply. However, current employees applying under VEOA are subject to time-in- grade restrictions like any other General Schedule employee.
"Active Service" under VEOA means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.
"Preference eligible" under VEOA includes those family members entitled to derived preference.
You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15 (PDF file)), Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
Disabled veterans eligible for training under the VA vocational rehabilitation program may enroll for training or work experience at an agency under the terms of an agreement between the agency and VA. While enrolled in the VA program, the veteran is not a Federal employee for most purposes but is a beneficiary of the VA.
Training is tailored to the individual's needs and goals, so there is no set length. If the training is intended to prepare the individual for eventual appointment in the agency rather than just provide work experience, the agency must focus the training on enabling the veteran to meet the qualification requirements for the position.
Upon successful completion, the host agency and VA give the veteran a Certificate of Training showing the occupational series and grade level of the position for which trained. The Certificate of Training allows any agency to appoint the veteran noncompetitively under a status quo appointment which may be converted to career or career-conditional at any time.
38 U.S.C. chapter 31; 5 CFR 3.1 and 315.604
Though not specifically for veterans, and not entirely inclusive, the following is a sample of some of the more frequently used special hiring authorities that veterans should be aware of and apply under as appropriate.
The Schedule A appointing authority for people with certain disabilities, 5 CFR 213.3102(u), is an excepted service authority that agencies can use to appoint individuals, including veterans who have a psychiatric, intellectual or severe physical disability. An agency's vacancy announcement will generally inform you whether the agency intends to consider candidates under this authority. To be eligible, you must:
Show proof of your disability. Documentation may be from any licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory to practice medicine), a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., State or private), or any Federal or State agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits;
The above documentation may be combined in one letter or you can provide it in separate letters. A sample letter (PDF file) can be found on the OPM website.
Agencies can use this authority, at their discretion, to appoint you at any grade level and for any job (time-limited or permanent) for which you qualify. Appointments filled under 5 CFR 213.3102(u) are considered to be exempt from the normal veterans’ preference procedures of 5 CFR part 302. After 2 years of satisfactory service, the agency may convert you, without competition, to the competitive service.
There is no limit to the number of times you can apply under this authority.
OPM encourages job-seeking veterans to seek consideration under all the hiring authorities for which they are eligible, in addition to claiming their preference under the competitive examining process (if applicable).
The Pathways Programs offer clear paths to Federal internships for students from high school through post-graduate school and to Federal careers for recent graduates, and provide meaningful training and career development opportunities for individuals who are at the beginning of their Federal service. OPM administers the examination for the Presidential Management Fellows Program and publishes information periodically on USAJOBS about positions agencies intend to fill using the other Pathways Programs. If you are a student or recent graduate, you may wish to consider beginning your career in the Federal government by applying for a vacancy under whichever of the authorities described below may apply to you:
For additional information on the Pathways Programs overall, please visit OPM’s Students and Recent Graduates page.
