65-504. BASIC PREFERENCE AND ADDITION OF POINTS TO COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION RATINGS. (1) An applicant who is preference eligible is entitled to a preference in initial appointment with a public employer over other applicants for the same position who are not more qualified.

(2) Application of preference in civil service positions:

(a) Five (5) points shall be added to the earned rating of any veteran and the widow or widower of any veteran as long as he or she remains unmarried. The names of all five (5) point preference eligible applicants shall be placed on the register in accordance with their augmented rating. The additional points added by reason of veterans’ preference shall be used only for the purpose of initial appointment and not for the purpose of any promotion, transfer or reassignment.

(b) Ten (10) points shall be added to the earned rating of veterans discharged under honorable conditions who qualify as disabled veterans because they have served on active duty in the armed forces at any time and have a current service-connected disability of ten percent (10%) or more. Alternatively, ten (10) points shall be added to the earned rating of the widow or widower of any disabled veteran as long as he or she remains unmarried or the spouse of any eligible disabled veteran who cannot qualify for any public employment because of a service-connected disability. The names of all ten (10) point preference eligible applicants shall be placed on the register in accordance with their augmented rating. The additional points added by reason of veterans’ preference shall be used only for the purpose of initial appointment and not for the purpose of any promotion, transfer or reassignment.

(c) Veterans discharged under honorable conditions who served on active duty in the armed forces at any time and have a current service-connected disability of thirty percent (30%) or more shall be offered an interview if they are one (1) of the qualified applicants on the register for the position. If applicants are not ranked, an interview must be offered to such veterans who fully meet all qualifications for the position. Notwithstanding this subsection, employers shall not be required to interview more than a total of ten (10) applicants regardless of the number of such qualified veteran applicants.

History:

[(65-504) 65-506, added 1949, ch. 279, sec. 6, p. 571; am. 1972, ch. 51, sec. 5, p. 90; am. 1972, ch. 356, sec. 1, p. 1060; am. 2001, ch. 214, sec. 1, p. 845; am. 2002, ch. 134, sec. 1, p. 365; am. and redesig. 2006, ch. 51, sec. 5, p. 148; am. 2011, ch. 284, sec. 4, p. 775; am. 2014, ch. 26, sec. 1, p. 33.]