Time Line of Veterans' Preference in The Federal Civil Service
- 1865: First veterans' preference (VP) in appointment law; for Union veterans separated for wounds or illnesses. Vets must have been honorably discharged and qualified for job.
- 1876: First VP in reduction in force (RIF) law
- 1919: After World War I, law grants VP to all honorably discharged veterans, their widows, and the spouses of veterans too disabled to work
- 1923: To distinguish between the preference and granted by the 1865 and 1919 laws, an Executive Order grants disabled vets 10 points and other vets 5 points, to be added to their individual numerical ratings in examinations (pt system first introduced)
- 1929: Executive Order places disabled vets at the top of examination lists of eligibles and continues 10 extra points
- 1944: Veterans' Preference Act incorporates 1865, 1876, and 1919 laws, plus Executive Orders for extra points, passover protection, and rule of three. Continues to be cornerstone of veterans' civil service legislation today (applied preference to active duty service during war, expedition, or campaign for which badge was authorized, must be separated under hon cond, rule of three)
- 1952: Amendment extended 1944 law to include active duty service from 4/28/52 - 7/1/55 Korean War
- 1966: Peacetime preference for Vietnam-era vets added active duty for >180 consecutive days between January 31, 1955 and October 10, 1976; guard and reserve service not included
- 1967: Expanded 1967 act to all vets who served on active duty for >180 days (no req to serve during war, campaign, or conflict) between January 31, 1955 and October 10, 1976 (guard and reserve service not included)
- 1968: Executive Order creates Veterans' Transitional Appointment, a new way for Vietnam-era veterans to enter Federal service without public examination. Forerunner of Veterans Readjustment Appointment (VRA)
- 1974: VRA enacted into law
- 1976: By law, veterans whose service begins after October 14, 1976 are granted preference only if they become disabled, or serve in a declared war, a campaign, or expedition. (This resulted from the end of the Vietnam War and draft and Department of Defenses desire to build a career military service.
- 1978: Civil Service reform act creates new benefits for 30 percent or more disabled veterans; special appointing authority, and extra protection in hiring and retention. Preference ends for nondisabled retired majors and above. Efforts to broaden rule of three and make exceptions to numerical ratings in examinations defeated by veterans' groups
- 1988: Law requires Dept. of Labor to report agencies' violations of veterans' preference and failure to list vacancies with State employment services to OPM for enforcement
- 1990: VRA law amended to include post-Vietnam-era veterans, but end coverage of most Vietnam-era veterans
- 1992: VRA law revised to restore eligibility to Vietnam-era veterans
- 1997: Defense Appropriations Act grants preference to gulf war veterans and certain campaign medal holders in Bosnia (included guard or reserve service if for other than training)
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Read more about this topic: Veterans' Preference Act
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