Civil Service Examination (USAJOBS / OPM federal hiring) Veterans' Preference and Special Eligibilities Syllabus

What is the maximum grade level for an initial VRA appointment?

GS-11 or equivalent (or up to the highest grade in the position's career ladder, not exceeding GS-11).

Into what service is a VRA appointment made, and what does it convert to?

VRA is an excepted-service appointment that converts to career or career-conditional (competitive service) status after 2 years of satisfactory service.

List the categories of veterans eligible for a VRA appointment.

Disabled veterans; veterans who served in a campaign/expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized; veterans who, while serving on active duty, participated in a U.S. military operation for which an Armed Forces Service Medal was awarded; and recently separated veterans (within the last 3 years).

Does a VRA-eligible veteran still need to meet OPM qualification standards for the position?

Yes; VRA waives competition but the veteran must still meet the basic qualification requirements of the position.

What training/education requirement applies to VRA appointees hired at certain grade levels?

Agencies must provide a training or education program when a VRA appointee has less than 15 years of education and is hired at GS-5 or below (or equivalent).

What is the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)?

A competitive-service hiring authority that lets eligible veterans apply to job announcements open to 'status' candidates (open to current federal employees/merit promotion) even if they are not current federal employees.

Which veterans are eligible to apply under VEOA?

Preference eligibles, OR veterans who substantially completed 3 or more years of continuous active service (with an honorable/general discharge), even if not preference eligible.

Under VEOA, into what service is the appointment made?

The competitive service; a VEOA appointee acquires career or career-conditional status.

Does VEOA give a veteran extra preference points in the rating process?

No; VEOA only grants eligibility to compete for merit-promotion (status) announcements. It does not add preference points, though preference still applies to the rating if the announcement is also a competitive examination.

What is the key difference in announcement access between VRA and VEOA?

VRA is a noncompetitive excepted-service appointment (no announcement competition needed); VEOA lets a veteran compete on merit-promotion announcements otherwise limited to status candidates.

What is the '30% or more disabled veteran' hiring authority?

A noncompetitive appointing authority allowing agencies to appoint a veteran with a 30%+ service-connected disability rating to any position for which qualified, in the competitive service.

How is a veteran qualified for the 30% or more disabled veteran authority?

Retired from active military service with a disability rating of 30% or more, OR rated by the VA as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Is there a grade-level cap on appointments under the 30% or more disabled veteran authority?

No; unlike VRA, there is no grade-level limit (subject to the veteran meeting qualifications).

Into what type of appointment does the 30% disabled authority initially place the veteran, and how does it convert?

It is an initial time-limited or temporary appointment that the agency may noncompetitively convert to permanent (career/career-conditional) competitive service at any time during the appointment.

What is Schedule A hiring authority for persons with disabilities (5 CFR 213.3102(u))?

An excepted-service authority allowing noncompetitive appointment of people with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities.

What documentation must a Schedule A applicant provide?

Proof of disability (a 'Schedule A letter') from a licensed medical professional, licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal/state/DC agency that issues or provides disability benefits.

Is a Schedule A appointment for people with disabilities the same as veterans' preference?

No; Schedule A is a disability-based excepted authority separate from veterans' preference, though a disabled veteran could qualify under either path.

How does a Schedule A excepted appointment convert to the competitive service?

After completing 2 years of satisfactory service, the appointee may be converted noncompetitively to a permanent competitive-service position.

What is military spouse preference / the Military Spouse hiring authority (Executive Order 13473)?

A noncompetitive appointing authority allowing agencies to appoint eligible spouses of certain members of the armed forces to competitive-service positions.

Which three categories of military spouses are eligible under the EO 13473 spouse hiring authority?

(1) Spouse of an active-duty member relocating on a PCS move; (2) spouse of a 100% disabled service member injured on active duty; (3) un-remarried widow/widower of a service member killed on active duty.

Under the PCS-relocation category, what time limit applies to a military spouse's eligibility?

The spouse must be appointed within 2 years of the service member's PCS relocation orders date.

How many times can a military spouse use the EO 13473 noncompetitive authority per PCS move?

Eligibility is generally available for the duration tied to the relocation orders (within the 2-year window); usage rules limit it to that relocation period rather than unlimited permanent eligibility.

Is the EO 13473 military spouse authority the same as the DoD/Priority Placement Program (PPP) Military Spouse Preference (Program S)?

No; EO 13473 is a government-wide noncompetitive hiring authority, while DoD's Military Spouse Preference (Program S/PPP) is a separate priority placement program for DoD positions overseas and stateside.

What is Indian preference in federal hiring?

A statutory preference (under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and related laws) giving qualified American Indians/Alaska Natives hiring preference for positions in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Indian Health Service (IHS).

What documentation establishes Indian preference eligibility?

Form BIA-4432 (Verification of Indian Preference for Employment) certifying enrolled membership or descent from a federally recognized tribe.

Has Indian preference in BIA/IHS hiring been upheld against challenges that it is racial discrimination?

Yes; in Morton v. Mancari (1974) the Supreme Court held the preference is a permissible political (not racial) classification tied to tribal self-government.

Name two 'other statutory paths' besides VRA/VEOA that provide noncompetitive or special federal hiring eligibility.

Examples: Peace Corps/AmeriCorps VISTA noncompetitive eligibility, Pathways Programs (Interns/Recent Graduates/PMF), Foreign Service family member appointments, and Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibility.

Can a veteran claim preference for a Senior Executive Service (SES) position?

No; veterans' preference does not apply to SES positions or to most merit-promotion (internal) actions—it applies to competitive examining and certain RIF actions.

How does veterans' preference affect a Reduction in Force (RIF)?

Preference eligibles receive additional retention standing—they are placed above non-preference employees within the same tenure group and subgroup (Subgroup AD/BD), giving them greater protection from separation.