While you may be familiar with veterans’ preference and points, there are other hiring eligibilities for which you may be eligible. In order to be considered for some of these hiring authorities, be sure to check-off your eligibility in your USAJOBS Profile, mark the eligibility(ies) under which you wish be considered when you apply, and include your eligibility(ies) on your resume. While you are not entitled to be hired under these authorities, you can let your network know that you are eligible. Here are some of the more common veterans’ hiring authorities:
• Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA). VRA is a non-competitive appointment authority; this means you can be appointed without competition if you qualified. Qualifications include: serving during a war or being in receipt of a campaign badge; OR are a disabled veteran; OR are in receipt of an Armed Forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation; OR have separated within the past 3 years; AND separated under honorable conditions. VRA can be used for appointments of GS-11 or below.
• 30% or More Compensably Disabled Veteran: this is also a non-competitive appointment authority. To be eligible, you must have a service-connected disability rating of at least 30% from the Department of Veterans Affairs; OR be retired from active military service with a 30% or more disability rating. You do not get “extra credit” for having more than a 30% disability rating. There is no grade level restriction for appointments made under this authority.
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). VEOA 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 qualify, your latest discharge must be under honorable conditions AND you must be a preference eligible OR a veteran who has completed 3 or more years of active duty. You receive no points when you apply under VEOA, nor does VEOA entitle you to be selected ahead of non-preference eligible applicants. Again, there is no grade restriction to this appointment authority.
• Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program. 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.
The above is not intended to be a complete discussion of these authorities. In all cases, final determinations of eligibility for these and other appointment authorities is the responsibility of the agency Human Resources (HR) office. Applicants should be sure to include readable copies of their DD-214 and SF-15 (if applicable) when applying for federal positions.
