This tool provides estimates for educational purposes only. We are not accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs and do not file claims, provide legal advice, or represent veterans before the VA (38 U.S.C. § 5904). For official assistance, contact a VSO, CVSO, or VA-accredited attorney.
This section is being built with CVSOs.
Core disability tools are live at /benefits/disability. For employment questions, start at DOL VETS or visit a local American Job Center.
Employment
Understand veteran preference in federal hiring
Based on Veteran preference authority at 5 U.S.C. § 2108 and Department of Labor VETS program rules under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 41. This page is a free community resource. We are not VA-accredited and do not file claims or provide legal advice (per 38 U.S.C. § 5904).
Last reviewed: April 2026 · Next review: October 2026
Maintained by: Veterans Benefits Navigator editorial team. Every citation links to a primary federal or state source. See editorial standards and our privacy posture.
Primary sources: 5 U.S.C. § 2108 (Veteran preference defined), 38 U.S.C. Chapter 41 (Employment & training), DOL Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
Tools to help you understand veteran preference in federal hiring[src] and other career transition resources available to you. Veteran preference is a factor in federal hiring, not a guarantee of selection.
Reviewed by VBN Editorial Board · Veteran-benefits editorial reviewers
Scope:This hub currently focuses on federal veteran preference eligibility. Private-sector job search, state hiring preferences, USERRA enforcement, Voc Rehab (VR&E) employment-track intake, SkillBridge placement, and entrepreneur programs are handled by DVOP/LVER specialists at an American Job Center, DOL VETS, or a VSO/CVSO.
Federal Employment
Reemployment Rights
Directories & Resources
What veteran employment benefits actually are
Veteran employment benefits are not a single program. They are a collection of federal and state hiring advantages, workforce development programs, and entrepreneurship supports that sit across several agencies. The core pieces most veterans will encounter include Veterans' Preference in federal competitive hiring[src], the Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA) noncompetitive appointment authority, the 30% or More Disabled Veteran hiring authority, the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) delivered before separation, SkillBridge (a Department of Defense program allowing active-duty members to train with a civilian employer in their final months of service), Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Chapter 31) for service-connected veterans, and USERRA reemployment protections for Guard and Reserve members returning from service.
The statutory framework for most of these programs lives at 38 U.S.C. Chapter 41[src] (employment and training) and 5 U.S.C. § 2108[src] (veteran preference definitions). Day-to-day administration runs through the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service[src], the Office of Personnel Management (for federal hiring rules), VA (for VR&E), and DoD (for TAP and SkillBridge).
Who qualifies, veterans' preference
Federal veterans' preference is awarded either as points added to a numerical rating under the traditional rating-and-ranking process, or as top-of-list placement within a quality category under category rating. Preference is a factor in federal hiring, not a guarantee of selection. It does not apply to every federal position, and it does not cure disqualifying issues such as a failure to register for Selective Service when required. The rules are published at 5 CFR Part 302[src].
5-point preference (TP)
The tentative preference (TP) category generally covers veterans who served on active duty and were separated under honorable conditions, provided their service included a qualifying campaign or expedition, or fell within statutorily defined wartime periods. A DD-214 showing character of service and qualifying dates is the primary documentation.
10-point preference
Ten-point preference has several sub-categories. CPS generally covers veterans with a compensable service-connected disability rated 30% or more. CP generally covers veterans with a compensable service-connected disability rated at least 10% but less than 30%. XP (non-compensable 10-point) can include recipients of the Purple Heart and certain other categories, including veterans with a service-connected disability rated 0% and those who qualify through other criteria listed by OPM. Certain spouses, widow(er)s, and mothers of deceased or disabled veterans may also qualify for 10-point preference under derivative rules published by OPM.
How to claim preference
Claimants generally submit Standard Form 15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) along with supporting documentation, typically a DD-214 and, for compensable preference, a VA rating decision letter. The form is available at opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf[src]. Five-point preference is generally claimed on the application itself with the DD-214 attached; a separate SF-15 is usually required only for 10-point claims. Hiring agencies are the authoritative adjudicator; the estimates on this site are informational only.
Preference does not apply to Senior Executive Service positions or to certain political and excepted-service appointments. Agencies publish the specific hiring authority used in each job announcement on USAJOBS, and the announcement text is the controlling document for what preference can and cannot do on that particular vacancy.
How federal hiring works for veterans
Federal jobs fall into two broad services. The competitive servicecovers most permanent federal positions and is where veterans' preference applies most broadly. The excepted service covers agencies and job series with their own hiring authorities, for example, the Veterans Health Administration fills many clinical roles under Title 38 authorities rather than through competitive Title 5 procedures. Understanding which service a vacancy sits in, and which authority is being used, determines how preference and special hiring authorities apply.
USAJOBS
Nearly all federal vacancies are posted at USAJOBS.gov[src]. The site allows veterans to filter by preference eligibility and by hiring path, and each announcement identifies the hiring authority, documents required, and whether veterans' preference applies. Help with account setup, resume formatting, and preference claims is available at help.usajobs.gov[src].
Special hiring authorities for veterans
Several hiring authorities allow agencies to bring veterans on board outside the standard competitive process. The Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA) allows an agency to noncompetitively appoint eligible veterans up to the GS-11 level (or equivalent). VRA eligibility generally extends to disabled veterans, veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized, Armed Forces Service Medal veterans, and recently separated veterans (within 3 years of discharge), subject to the detailed rules OPM publishes.
The 30% or More Disabled Veteran authority allows an agency to noncompetitively appoint a veteran with a service-connected disability rated 30% or more at any grade level for which the veteran qualifies. The appointment becomes permanent after a satisfactory probationary period. Schedule A is a separate hiring authority for persons with severe disabilities; it is not veteran-specific, but veterans who meet its criteria may use it in addition to any veterans' preference they hold.
DOL VETS and state workforce agencies
Outside federal hiring, the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service[src]administers several grant programs, including the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) and the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP), and enforces USERRA. JVSG funds Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVERs) at state workforce agencies and American Job Centers. These staff provide case management, training referrals, and employer connections at no cost to the veteran. A veteran can locate the nearest American Job Center at careeronestop.org[src].
What veterans frequently miss
Even well-prepared transitioning service members and veterans routinely overlook pieces of the employment benefit landscape. Some of the most commonly missed items:
SkillBridge. Active-duty service members in their final months of service may be authorized to participate in an approved civilian industry training opportunity for up to the last 180 days before separation, while continuing to receive military pay and benefits. Approval is commander-discretionary and depends on mission requirements. Program details and the list of approved opportunities are published at skillbridge.osd.mil[src].
VR&E (Chapter 31) employment track.VR&E is often associated with its education track, but the program also offers direct employment services, resume assistance, job placement, employer incentives, and case management, under five rehabilitation tracks defined at 38 U.S.C. § 3102[src]. Service-connected veterans who feel limited to schooling options may not realize an employment-focused plan is available.
Federal resume format. Federal resumes are typically longer and more detailed than private-sector resumes. Announcements often require specific KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities), dates and hours per week for each position, and supervisor contact information. Resumes missing these fields may be screened out before a human reviewer sees them, regardless of preference status.
10-point preference documentation. A common oversight is submitting an application claiming 10-point preference without attaching both the SF-15 and a current VA rating decision letter. Without complete documentation, a preference claim may default to the 5-point level or be disallowed.
USERRA reemployment rights. Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, Guard and Reserve members who leave a civilian job for qualifying service generally have reemployment rights upon return, protection from discrimination based on service, and continued health coverage options. USERRA generally covers cumulative service up to five years with a previous employer, subject to statutory exceptions. Enforcement runs through DOL VETS and, for federal employees, through additional channels. Complaints can be filed through ESGR[src] for informal resolution or through DOL VETS for formal investigation.
VETS-4212 and protected veteran status. Federal contractors and subcontractors above certain thresholds report annually on veteran hires using the VETS-4212 form. Veterans who voluntarily self-identify as protected veterans on job applications help contractors meet affirmative-action obligations; self-identification is voluntary and does not affect hiring decisions under the regulation.
Boots to Business. The Small Business Administration and DoD jointly offer Boots to Business, a free entrepreneurship training program for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. It is often delivered as part of TAP and is also available post-separation.
State veterans' preference. Many states add their own preference on top of the federal scheme, and apply preference to state and local government hiring where federal rules do not. State rules vary widely; a veteran applying to a state or municipal job should check the relevant state civil-service or human-resources agency.
Where to get help
For federal application questions, the USAJOBS help center at help.usajobs.gov[src] covers account, resume, and preference issues. For in-person employment services, DVOP specialists and LVERs at American Job Centers[src] provide case management and employer connections at no cost. A VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) can help with VR&E applications and preference-related disputes. USERRA concerns can be routed through ESGR[src] for informal resolution or through the DOL VETS hotline at 1-866-4-USA-DOL for formal complaints.
This site is not VA-accredited and does not represent veterans before any federal agency. The tools above are decision-support only; hiring decisions, preference adjudications, and VR&E entitlement are made by the relevant federal or state authority.
Related VBN tools
Free, anonymous decision-support tools on this site that relate to veteran employment:
- Veteran Preference Guide — estimate which preference category (TP, CP, CPS, XP) may apply based on service and rating.
- USERRA Reemployment Rights — review reemployment, health-plan continuation, and anti-discrimination protections for returning Guard and Reserve members.
- Hiring Portals & Resources — curated federal, nonprofit, and workforce-agency directory, with no ads or referral links.
- VR&E Eligibility Check — Chapter 31 includes an employment track with resume support and employer incentives, not only an education path.
- Disability tools hub — a rating change can shift preference tier (for example, crossing the 30% threshold into CPS) and open the 30% or More Disabled Veteran hiring authority.