Federal Government Policy and Business

Veterans preference in federal hiring: Is it too strong?

The Washington Post: Sen. John McCain, (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at a hearing last year. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg) Facing allegations it manipulated the veterans’ employment preference, the Justice Department has been ordered not to hire a nonveteran. The position is on hold during an Office of Special Counsel (OSC) investigation. Acting on an OSC request, the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), a quasi-judicial agency that reviews federal personnel matters, prohibited the hiring for 45 days with the order issued Sept. 30. Although this concerns allegations that Justice essentially cheated two veterans out of assistant director positions, it also highlights the debate over whether the preference is too great and conflicts with other goals such as more diversity in federal employment.

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