Washington DC, Office of Personnel Management headquarters Image: Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffOPM has said it sees “no systemic abuses” in the application of veterans’ preference in federal hiring, a policy that has drawn criticism both that it is over-used–blocking out otherwise better qualified candidates–and that it is under-used–with agencies finding ways to work around their obligations to veterans.
OPM made its comment in a Federal Register notice finalizing rules to carry out a change in law extending to fathers of a preference that previously had applied only to mothers. Under the policy, now a “parent” of a service-connected permanently and totally disabled veteran is eligible for preference if the spouse of that parent is totally and permanently disabled; or that parent, when preference is claimed, is unmarried or, if married, legally separated from his or her spouse.
The notice said that in response to the earlier proposed rules, it had received only comment, which expressed concern that the authority would be misused to the detriment of current federal employees.
In its response, OPM said that it “acknowledges that oversight of veterans’ preference is critical. OPM conducts regular reviews of veterans hiring across the government to ensure that veterans are receiving the entitlements they have earned in the federal hiring process. We have identified no systemic abuses or issues with veterans’ preference or veterans hiring practices.”
