Veteran's Employment Preference

 

Pursuant to Government Code 657, the following individuals qualify for the veteran and military employment preference:

1. A veteran, including a veteran with a disability;
2. A veteran's surviving spouse who has not remarried;
3. An orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed while on active duty;
4. The spouse of a member of the United States armed forces or Texas National Guard serving on active duty; and
5. The spouse of a veteran if the spouse is the primary source of income for the household and the veteran has a total disability rating based either on having a service-connected disability with a disability rating of at least 70 percent or on individual unemployability.

A veteran is defined in section 2308.251 of the Texas Government Code as a person who:

1. Has served in:
   1. the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine corps of the United States or the United States Public Service under 42 U.S.C. 2010 et seq. as amended
      
      
   2. The Texas Military Forces as defined by section 437.0001; or
      
      
   3. An auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces; and
2. Has been honorably discharged from the branch of service in which the person served.

A state agency may designate an open position as a “veteran only position” and only accept applications from veteran applicants.

State agencies may also “direct hire” a veteran for a position without advertising the job opening.

Each state agency shall establish a goal to hire, in full-time positions, a number of individuals who qualify for a veteran or military employment preference equal to at least 20% of the total number of employees at that state agency.

Eligible applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for a position will be shown preference in multiple aspects of the hiring process:

• Interviews
  
  • If the total number of applicants interviewed for a position is 6 or fewer, then at least 1 of those applicants must be a qualified individual eligible for the veteran and military employment preference.
    
    
  • If the total number of applicants interviewed for a position is more than 6, then at least 20% of the total number of those applicants must be qualified individuals eligible for the veteran and military employment preference.
• Employment Decisions
  
  • If two applicants are finalists for a position, and both are equally qualified for the position in every way except that one is eligible for the veteran and military employment preference and the other is not, then the applicant eligible for veteran and military preference will be selected for hire.

Note: There is no preference requirement if there are no individuals qualified for the veteran and military employment preference applying for the position.

An individual who qualifies for the veteran and military employment preference is entitled to a preference in employment over other applicants for the same position who do not have a greater qualification.

Additional questions can be directed to the liaison for veterans, military members, and their dependents, LaDonna Johnson ladonna.johnson@ttu.edu or 806-742-3851.