Virginia hiring text allows or requires preferences for military spouses

Private employers may favor veterans and certain military spouses when hiring or promoting workers. The covered spouses are spouses of full-time active-duty U.S. service members or veterans with a compensable, permanent, and total service-connected disability. Employers may choose whether to give this preference. The text says giving the preference does not violate state or local equal employment opportunity law.

The Commonwealth must give certain applicants a hiring preference for state jobs, including an exam-score increase when the job uses a written test. Covered applicants include spouses of full-time active-duty U.S. service members, veterans, surviving spouses and children of veterans killed in the line of duty, and National Guard members under the written-exam rule. For written exams, applicants must pass to receive the five percent increase; veterans with a service-connected disability rating receive a ten percent increase. For jobs without an exam, an applicant must meet all knowledge, skill, and ability requirements to receive preference. The rules must be applied consistently with federal and state law.

Localities must consider or give preference to certain veterans, military spouses, and people with disabilities in local government hiring. This applies to Virginia local government hiring and includes spouses of full-time active-duty U.S. service members. Local hiring policies must follow federal and state protections for other groups. Veterans and people with disabilities must meet the job's knowledge, skill, and eligibility requirements. Veterans with a service-connected disability rating receive additional consideration.