The Veterans Employment Program’s mission is to provide sound job coaching and to assist employers with understanding the unique benefits of hiring Veterans so that every Texas Veteran and eligible Veteran spouse has access to long term and meaningful employment.
Wartime veterans have preference in employment with State agencies or offices, as do widows and orphans of those killed on active duty. State law requires State agencies must practice veterans’ preference with the goal of reaching 20% veteran employment within the agency.
Non-retired veterans who are employed by the State of Texas are entitled to claim their active duty military time toward retirement, provided they present a proper request and pay to the Retirement System the specified amount of retirement contribution for up to 60 months military credit. Such contribution is paid at the rate which was applicable at the time the employed veteran first was covered by the state Retirement System, plus any accrued interest. The State Law, Texas Government Code Chapter 657.001-657.009, is posted below.
This Advisor is designed to help you learn more about veterans’ preference. To determine your rights and responsibilities, select from the list below. To ensure an accurate understanding of veterans’ preference, we encourage you to go through all of the sections in the Advisor that are applicable for you.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) administers entitlement to veterans’ preference in employment under title 5, United States Code, and oversees other statutory employment requirements in titles 5 and 38. (Title 38 also governs Veterans’ entitlement to benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Department of Labor and the State of Texas recognize and salute the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. In honor of our “Heroes at Home” numerous employment and training programs are available to identify, inform, and deliver comprehensive services to all veterans and qualified spouses of veterans.
Veterans possess unique attributes and contribute important skills and resources to the workplace, and for this and other reasons, the Department of Labor has recently reinforced its implementation of Priority of Service for veterans and qualified spouses of veterans.
Priority of Service means that all veterans and qualified spouses of veterans are entitled to precedence over non-veterans in obtaining the full array of employment, training, and placement services, as well as Priority of Service pertaining to any applicable eligibility requirements for those programs and services. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and visit your nearest Workforce Center to inquire about the specific entitlements your veteran status affords you.
View Priority of Service Presentation
Veteran. A veteran is any person who:
Qualified Spouse. A qualified spouse as defined above.
Please contact a Workforce Center Representative or a Veteran Employment Representatives (VER) at your local Workforce Center if you have any questions about eligibility for Priority of Service and/or you want information on the services and programs available to veterans and qualified spouses of veterans.
A veteran is entitled to reemployment rights with his last employer when he is released from the Armed Forces of the United States, providing his absence is no longer than four years. The right of reemployment is available regardless of whether the veteran was, prior to service, employed by the State, county or city government, or by private industry.
Reemployment rights of veterans are now provided by both State and Federal laws. We have posted the State Law, Texas Government Code Chapter 613.001-613.006; and 613.021-613.023, Enforcement, is below below.
Review the Texas Government Code Chapter 613.001-613.006; and 613.021-613.023.
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects service members’ reemployment rights when returning from a period of service in the uniformed services, including those called up from the reserves or National Guard, and prohibits employer discrimination based on military service or obligation. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers USERRA.
USERRA Information and Complaint Process
If you believe your USERRA rights may have been violated, or you are an employer seeking compliance assistance, you may consider one of the following options:
The contact information for your local DOL-VETS office is available at:
http://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/contacts/main.htm.
The DOL-VETS USERRA complaint form, VETS-1010, and instructions for completing and submitting it, are available at:
http://www.dol.gov/elaws/vets/vetpref/1010.htm.
If you choose to file a USERRA complaint, DOL-VETS will investigate and attempt to resolve it; if its efforts at resolution are unsuccessful, you may have the option of seeking representation from either OSC (if the complaint involves a federal executive agency, with certain limited exceptions) or the U.S. Department of Justice (if the complaint involves a state, local, or private employer).
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