Veterans Representation Increases Slightly

The percentage of veterans in the federal workforce increased slightly in 2004 from 25 to 25.1 percent of the workforce, the Office of Personnel Management has said, with the overall workforce increasing by 0.9 percent over 2003 but veterans’ employment increasing 1.1 percent. Of new hires into permanent, full-time positions, 33.6 percent were veterans. The data reflect the ongoing role of veterans preference in hiring procedures, as well as increases in the use of certain special hiring authorities such as special procedures for disabled veterans. Compared with the civilian labor force as a whole, the federal government employs more than two times the percentage of veterans, three times the percentage of Vietnam-era veterans, more than six times the percentage of disabled veterans and more than seven times the percent of 30 percent or more disabled veterans.