Employment discrimination question - is this legal?

[rondog]

Got a tip about a job, went online and looked it up. Says that "applicants are restricted to veterans", or similar wording, gotta submit your DD-214.

Is this legal? Isn't this some kind of discrimination? I'm all for equal hiring rights for vets, but "others need not apply?"

FWIW - this is a Fed Gov job, as a telecom tech for the FAA. Technical skills, not necessarily military skills. I know there's comm techs in the military. But damn.....

It sez....

WHO MAY APPLY: This announcement open only to individuals who are eligible for appointment under the Veteran's Recruitment Appointment (VRA) authority.


KEY REQUIREMENTS
US Citizenship is required.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Transcript required if qualifying based on education
You must provide proof for claims of Veteran's Preference (DD214)
Required documents must be submitted at the time of application
Drub and security clearances required prior to appointment.

[DocMedic]

Yes it legal, and yes they can ask for your DD214. "eligible for appointment under the Veteran's Recruitment Appointment (VRA) authority."

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.

[Great-Kazoo]

FWIW: A lot of jobs also have VA preference when hiring. It adds another 5 points on the grading scale, when sorting applicants by test score.

[spqrzilla]

Laws forbidding employment discrimination are statutory. So obviously if Congress authorizes discrimination in another statute it is then "legal".

However, I note that there is no law forbidding a private employer from favoring veterans in employment. Indeed, "discrimination" is in general legal. We "discriminate" all the time, usually in favor of people with one or more competencies for a job.

Only very specific "discrimination" is illegal: race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, and religion

[rondog]

So this means I can't even apply for it, because I'm not a veteran? That sucks. Just don't seem right.....

[kidicarus13]

So this means I can't even apply for it, because I'm not a veteran? That sucks. Just don't seem right.....

Welcome to America post Iraq/Afganistan. It feels good to hire vets. Doesn't it? Right? Huh?

[Hound]

So this means I can't even apply for it, because I'm not a veteran? That sucks. Just don't seem right.....

I am sure you will disagree with this but I am all for it. For those that have given service to this country and sacrificed so much.. preferential treatement is justified. While they are in the service, they are under paid, often disrespected, work hours that most civilians can't imagine, many times [when they are 'off'] either have a crappy bed or no bed, are away from home for months with little to no communication in many cases, and generally are working in the ovens, freezers or any other hell holes of this world. These are not even necessarily the guys on the front lines being shot at, blown up, deep under water, flying high on dangerous missions or in some cases are behind enemy lines.

Ya.... Do your time, get out.... You should get head of the line privledges for protecting all of us so there is a job to be worked.

If you served and are reading this..... Simply, Thank you.

If you don't like it... Join up. Nobody is stopping you.

[Dave_L]

I am sure you will disagree with this but I am all for it. For those that have given service to this country and sacrificed so much.. preferential treatement is justified. While they are in the service, they are under paid, often disrespected, work hours that most civilians can't imagine, many times [when they are 'off'] either have a crappy bed or no bed, are away from home for months with little to no communication in many cases, and generally are working in the ovens, freezers or any other hell holes of this world. These are not even necessarily the guys on the front lines being shot at, blown up, deep under water, flying high on dangerous missions or in some cases are behind enemy lines.

Ya.... Do your time, get out.... You should get head of the line privledges for protecting all of us so there is a job to be worked.

If you served and are reading this..... Simply, Thank you.

If you don't like it... Join up. Nobody is stopping you.

^This. Anyone can go serve and get this "preferential" treatment.

[kfd82]

^This. Anyone can go serve and get this "preferential" treatment.

Not true.

[tmleadr03]

^This. Anyone can go serve and get this "preferential" treatment.

Not so much.