Feds Hire Vets

Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans are just that…designed for veterans. Knowing about these authorities and identifying your eligibility will enhance your job search. These special authorities represent a few of many appointing authorities that agencies can use entirely at their discretion. Veterans are not entitled to appointment under any of these authorities. Check the vacancy announcements, which should clearly state “Who May Apply.”

Veterans may be hired under the following three authorities:

Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA) 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA) is an excepted authority that allows agencies, to appoint eligible veterans without competition. If you: • are in receipt of a campaign badge for service during a war or in a campaign or expedition; OR • are a disabled veteran, OR • are in receipt of an Armed forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation, OR • are a recently separated veteran (within the last 3 years), AND • Separated under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), you are VRA eligible.

 Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA)

Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA) is an excepted authority that allows agencies, to appoint eligible veterans without competition. If you:

• are in receipt of a campaign badge for service during a war or in a campaign or expedition; OR
• are a disabled veteran, OR
• are in receipt of an Armed forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation, OR
• are a recently separated veteran (within the last 3 years), AND
• separated under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), you are VRA eligible.

You can be appointed under this authority at any grade level up to and including a GS-11 or equivalent. This is an excepted service appointment. After successfully completing 2 years, you will be converted to the competitive service. Veterans’ preference applies when using the VRA authority.

Agencies can also use VRA to fill temporary (not to exceed 1 year) or term (more than 1 year but not to exceed 4 years) positions. If you are employed in a temporary or term position under VRA, you will not be converted to the competitive service after 2 years.

There is no limit to the number of times you can apply under VRA.

You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15 [152 KB]), “Application for 10-point Veterans’ Preference.”

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998, as amended (VEOA)

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998, as amended (VEOA) is a competitive service appointing authority that can only be used when filling permanent, competitive service positions. It can not be used to fill excepted service positions. It allows veterans to apply to announcements that are only open to so called “status” candidates, which means “current competitive service employees.”

To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, your latest discharge must be issued under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), AND you must be either:

• a preference eligible (defined in title 5 U.S.C. 2108(3)), OR
• a veteran who substantially completed 3 or more years of active service.

When agencies recruit from outside their own workforce under merit promotion (internal) procedures, announcements must state VEOA is applicable. As a VEOA eligible you are not subject to geographic area of consideration limitations. When applying under VEOA, you must rate and rank among the best qualified when compared to current employee applicants in order to be considered for appointment. Your veterans’ preference does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions, transfers, reassignments and reinstatements.

Current or former Federal employees meeting VEOA eligibility can apply. However, current employees applying under VEOA are subject to time-in- grade restrictions like any other General Schedule employee.

“Active Service” under VEOA means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.

“Preference eligible” under VEOA includes those family members entitled to derived preference.

You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15 [152 KB]), “Application for 10-point Veterans’ Preference.”