New Hiring Rules Keep Vet Preference

The same OPM rules also allow-but don’t require-agencies to use a “category ranking” system rather than the traditional “rule of three” system. That change has raised concerns from veterans worried about losing the preference they get in the rule of three system, where veterans preference points are added to numerical rankings of candidates, often moving veterans to the front of the line by putting them among the three candidates to be considered. Under a category rating system, the agency assesses candidates against job-related criteria and then places candidates into two or more pre-defined categories and does not create numerical rankings. However, veterans preference still applies, although in a different way. If a veteran is in the category of those to be considered, an agency generally must choose the veteran first over any non-veteran. In both systems, there are only limited situations in which an agency may pass over the preference-eligible candidate. Also, disabled veterans are automatically moved into the top level of a category ranking system, in contrast to the additional points they get in a rule of three hiring system.