FAQs

It depends. Spouses may be eligible when the veteran has a service-connected disability and has been unable to qualify for any position in the civil service.

In the Federal government, layoffs are called reduction in force (RIF) actions.  When an agency must abolish positions, the RIF regulations determine whether an employee keeps his or her present position, or whether the employee has a right to a different position.

Yes. The FedsHireVets.gov website has a host of resources for veterans seeking Federal employment. Veterans are encouraged to take the Federal Employment Training Module for information about Federal employment. http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/edu/training/Continuing/menu.htm

Maybe. The parent of a disabled veteran may be eligible to claim veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it. Further details on the specific criteria that must be met can be found at: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/familypref/index.aspx

Visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

No.  Veterans' preference eligibility is based on dates of active duty service, receipt of a campaign badge, Purple Heart, OR a service-connected disability.  Only veterans discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions are eligible for veterans' preference.

No.  While OPM provides Government-wide leadership on Federal programs and policies, OPM does not investigate individual complaints alleging prohibited personnel practices.  Complaints alleging prohibited personnel practices and retaliation should be directed to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).  OSC receives, investigates, and prosecutes allegations of prohibited personnel practices and can be visited at https://osc.gov/.

Yes.

The required documentation column on the SF-15 refers you to page 2 of the form regarding the types of documents that are acceptable proof of your claim for preference.

Each of the military services maintains a discharge review board with authority to change, to correct or to modify discharges or dismissals that are not issued by a sentence of general courts-martial.  You can apply for a review of discharge by writing to the military department concerned, using DoD Form 293 available at  http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/eforms/dd0293.pdf

The SF-15 ‘Application for 10-point preference’ no longer requires a signature. Make sure you are using the correct version dated October 2013 as all other previous editions are unusable.

Yes. There are 24 Veteran Employment Program Offices (VEPO) responsible for promoting Veterans' recruitment, employment, training and development, and retention within their respective agencies. Veterans are encouraged to contact these individuals for specific information on employment opportunities in those agencies. For a complete listing of VEPOs visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/AgencyDirectory/index.aspx

It depends on the appointing authority. For instance, the VRA and Schedule A for Persons with Disabilities appointing authorities do not require the veteran to be a preference eligible.

Page 2 of the SF-15 provides information on acceptable documentation based on the criteria for claiming 10-point preference.