Veterans Hiring Preference

Because the United States equal employment opportunity commission and the federal courts have found that a private employer's veterans preference employment policy is not a violation of Title VII of the "Civil Rights Act of 1964" if there is a basis for the policy in state law, the bill creates a statutory basis to allow a private employer to give preference to a veteran of the armed forces or the National Guard and the spouse of a disabled veteran or a veteran killed in the line of duty when hiring a new employee as long as the veteran or the spouse is as qualified as other applicants for employment. The bill clarifies that an employer who adopts a program that gives preferences to veterans or their spouses is not committing a discriminatory or unfair labor practice.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)