WashingtonWashington law gives qualifying veterans job preferences and exam points
Washington law gives qualifying veterans and some military spouses job preferences, and sets exam scoring rules for certain veterans and service members.
What it does
Public employers give qualifying veterans and members of two federal uniformed services extra points on hiring exams. The points do not apply to most promotional exams.
Public agencies give qualifying veterans and certain surviving or military spouses preference for jobs. Private employers may also prefer qualifying veterans, service members, and some spouses.
Some public employees may count qualifying military service toward retirement, subject to limits and conditions. Some professional licenses stay active during service, and certain spouses may pause a license while away from Washington.
Argument forHiring preferences could help qualifying veterans and service members compete for public jobs, while private employers may choose to offer similar preferences.
Argument againstExtra points for some applicants could make it harder for other candidates to earn public jobs or promotions.
More detail
Public employers give qualifying veterans and uniformed service members extra points on competitive hiring exams. This covers state and local public employers and companies that run their competitive exams. The uniformed service members covered here serve or served in the federal public health service commissioned corps or NOAA commissioned officer corps. The points apply to passing scores, not promotional exams. A service member called to active duty from public employment may receive points on the first promotional exam only. Veterans may claim points after release from active service with a qualifying discharge, or after receiving qualifying discharge paperwork.
Public agencies give qualifying veterans preference for jobs; private employers may do so. Public job preference covers veterans with a qualifying discharge, their widows or widowers, spouses of active duty service members, and spouses of veterans with a qualifying discharge and a permanent, total service-connected disability. Private employers may prefer qualifying veterans and uniformed service members, their widows or widowers, and those spouses. A physical impairment does not disqualify someone if it does not prevent them from doing the job. Private employers may choose whether to offer a preference. These provisions state no separate start or end date for the job preferences.
The law provides ways for some public employees to count military service toward retirement and keeps some professional licenses active during service. The retirement provisions cover specified firefighters, police officers, state retirement system members, and members of the statewide city employees retirement system. License provisions cover licensed professionals serving in the armed forces, specified federal uniformed services, or the merchant marine, and certain spouses or registered domestic partners. Retirement credit has different rules for different workers. Some credits require wartime service, proof of honorable service, payment of contributions, or department approval; credited military service is limited to five years in the provisions shown. A spouse or registered domestic partner may ask to place a license on inactive military status while the service member is stationed or deployed outside Washington. Returning to active status requires an application, the current fee, and meeting license renewal conditions. A service member's license holder must apply for renewal within six months after qualifying discharge. A spouse or registered domestic partner must apply to reactivate within six months after returning to Washington.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 24Chapter 207, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 24Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Major
- Mar 10President signed.Passed House
- Mar 9Passed final passage; yeas, 48; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 0.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#16). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Senate concurred in House amendments.
- Mar 5Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#6). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 5Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 5Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.
- Mar 4Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Mar 2APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) but without amendment(s) by Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Mar 2Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 27Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 25Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Feb 24TEDV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 26First reading, referred to Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Jan 21Third reading, passed; yeas, 48; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded Final Passage (#17). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 13Placed on third reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 12By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- 2025
- Apr 27By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading.
- Apr 10Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Apr 8Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Apr 5APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Apr 5Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.
- Apr 4Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
- Mar 25Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Mar 21TEDV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Mar 21Executive action taken in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 AM.
- Mar 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 AM.
- Mar 8First reading, referred to Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Mar 6Third reading, passed; yeas, 48; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#5). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 5Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 17On motion, referred to Rules Committee for second reading.Minor
- Feb 14And refer to Ways & Means.Minor
- Feb 14Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 14SGTE - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 14Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 11Public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 22First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.Introduced
VeteransEconomy & Jobs