Veterans looking for employment in Minnesota will now have an edge when it comes to federal, state, county and city positions.
According to KTSP, the recently passed 2014 Veterans' Preference Act makes it easier for former servicemembers to be hired for positions like police officers and firefighters. In Minneapolis alone, the last 53 people hired by the fire department have been veterans. The source reported that civil service employers are largely satisfied with the arrangement, since the skills acquired by soldiers are useful in these types of jobs.
This initiative comes as a large number of troops return home from Iraq and Afghanistan in search of employment. KTSP noted that the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans in their life after service sits at about 10 percent in Minnesota – 3 percent higher than the state's jobless rate among non-veterans. Officials hope that the hiring advantage will help close this employment gap, especially among young soldiers returning home.
The law states that servicemembers who served in active duty for 180 days and received general or honorable discharge qualify for the advantage. They must take the standard civil service test, but receive an extra 10 points on their passing grade due to their veteran status. Disabled veterans get an additional five points.