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Veteran Hiring Preferences

All federal contractors must comply with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and satisfy job listing requirements set forth in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) statute.

To enable developing job orders to support your staffing needs and ensure qualified priority referrals of protected Veterans please contact your nearest Oklahoma Works office

As the law requires, federal contractors and subcontractors shall provide the following information simultaneously with their first job listing, and provide updates, as necessary, simultaneously with the next listing:  (1) VEVRAA Federal Contractor; (2) Priority referrals of protected veterans desired; (3) Name and location of each hiring location within the state; and (4) Contact information for the official responsible for hiring at the hiring location, and who can verify the information in the job listing.

Once your job order is posted, it is viewable and accessible state-wide to all job seekers. 

One of our employment service specialists’ main duties is to talk to employers about their open positions and how they might be posted on our job bank. All of our services are provided to both employers and job seekers at no cost.  Our goal is to inform employers, such as you, about what we do and the services we offer.

Some Employer Benefits:

  • Online job postings/resume searches
  • Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) information
  • On the Job Training (OJT) opportunities
  • Job Fairs and Hiring Events

Veterans' Preference gives eligible veterans preference in appointment over many other applicants. Veterans' preference applies to all new appointments in the competitive service and many in the excepted service. Veterans' preference does not guarantee veterans a job and it does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions, transfers, reassignments and reinstatements.

Understanding how veterans' preference works can be a challenge. In accordance with title 5, United States Code, Section 2108 (5 USC 2108) veterans' preference eligibility can be based on dates of active duty service, receipt of a campaign badge, receipt of a Purple Heart, or a service-connected disability. Please know that not all active duty service may qualify for veterans' preference.

Only veterans discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions are eligible for veterans' preference. This means you must have been discharged under an honorable or general discharge. Under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, an individual who has reason to believe s/he will be entitled to veterans’ preference upon discharge may apply for a position in advance of the discharge, and receive consideration as a preference eligible, if the service member is able to provide a certification that s/he is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days from the date of the certification; the circumstances of the discharge are verified at the time of actual appointment.

If you are a "retired member of the armed forces" you are not included in the definition of preference eligible unless you are a disabled veteran OR you retired below the rank of major or its equivalent.

There are basically three types of preference eligibility, sole survivorship (0 point preference eligible), non-disabled (5 point preference eligible) and disabled (10 point preference eligible).

For more information, please visit FedsHireVets.gov/job-seekers/veterans-preference/