Veterans Preference Policy

Policy Number
2.3
Signature
Board of Trustees
Date Approved
Effective Date
Responsible Division
Human Resources
Citation
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 128-15 and 1C SBCCC 200.94

In accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 128-15, it shall be the policy of the College that, in appreciation for their service during a period of war, and in recognition of the time and advantage lost toward the pursuit of a civilian career, veterans shall be granted preference in employment at the College.

The College shall develop procedures to award preference to all eligible veterans who are citizens of the State and who served the State or the United States honorably in the military forces of this State or of the United States during a period of war. This preference applies to initial employment with the College and extends to other employment events including subsequent hirings, promotions, reassignments, and horizontal transfers.

Definition of Terms:

  1. “A period of war” includes World War I (April 16, 1917, through November 11, 1918), World War II (December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946), the Korean Conflict (June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955), the period of time between January 31, 1955, and the end of the hostilities in Vietnam (May 7, 1975), or any other campaign, expedition, or engagement for which a campaign badge or medal is authorized by the United States Department of Defense.
  2. “Veteran” means a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, for reasons other than training, and has been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.
  3. “Eligible veteran” means:
    1. A veteran who served during a period of war.
    2. The spouse of a disabled veteran.
    3. The surviving spouse or dependent of a veteran who dies on active duty
    4. during a period of war either directly or indirectly as the result of such services.
    5. A veteran who suffered a disabling injury for service-related reasons during peacetime or his/her spouse.
    6. The surviving spouse or dependent of a person who served in the Armed Forces of the Unites States on active duty, for reason other than training, who dies for service-related reasons during peacetime.
Procedure

In evaluation of applicants for positions of employment with the College a preference shall be awarded to all eligible veterans who are citizens of the State of North Carolina and who served the state or the United States honorably in any of the armed services during a period of war. This preference applies to initial employment with the College and extends to other employment events including subsequent hiring, promotions, reassignments, and lateral transfers.

To claim veterans’ preference, all eligible persons shall submit to the College a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, along with the completed College application in which the applicant checked or indicated “veterans’ preference” as a qualifier for the position.

In addition to civilian education and experience, veterans shall be given credit on a year for year and month for month, basis for all military service training and experience which bears a reasonable functional relationship to the knowledge, skills, and abilities required in the applied for position.

The eligible veteran shall be hired when overall qualifications are substantially equal to those of the non- veterans or non-eligible veterans in the most qualified applicant pool. Substantially equal qualifications occur when the College cannot make a reasonable determination that the qualifications held by one or more applicants are significantly better suited for the position than the qualifications held by another applicant.

Nothing in this policy shall prevent the College from selecting the best qualified applicant or candidate for any position whether by initial hiring, promotion, reassignment or lateral transfer. In order to claim veterans’ preference, eligible veterans must meet the minimum training and experience requirements for the position and must be capable of performing the duties assigned to the position.