To facilitate the transition of Veterans from the military to civilian life and to help compensate Veterans for their sacrifices, including their sacrifices of health and time to the community, state and nation.

In 1887 the Minnesota Legislature stated that honorably discharged Union soldiers and sailors shall be preferred for employment in every public department of the State of Minnesota and the counties, towns, cities and villages thereof. In 1907 they added that Civil War Veterans employed by State or local government could only be discharged for incompetency or misconduct shown after a hearing, upon due notice, upon stated charges and with a right of review by the courts.

Minnesota currently provides for a limited preference for Veterans in hiring and promotion in State and local government positions.

Veterans applying for an open competitive position in a Minnesota county, city, school district or other political subdivision, who receive a passing rating, may choose to receive a credit of 10 extra points. Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability, who receive a passing rating, may choose to receive a credit of 15 extra points. Spouses of deceased Veterans or disabled Veterans who cannot qualify because of their disability, may also choose to receive extra points. For promotional positions, a service-connected disabled Veteran rated 50% or greater may choose to receive a credit of five extra points.

For Minnesota State Agency positions, once minimum qualifications are met, disabled Veterans are ranked ahead of Veterans, who are ranked ahead of non-Veterans. Recently separated Veterans, who served on or after September 11, 2001, must be considered for the position. The top five recently separated Veterans must be granted an interview.

For Minnesota State and local governmental positions, no Veteran who has completed an initial hiring probationary period shall be removed from such position or employment, except for incompetency or misconduct shown after a hearing, upon due notice, upon stated charges, in writing. A veteran facing removal must choose either a Veterans Preference Hearing or the Collective Bargaining Grievance Procedure, but not both.

The Veterans Preference Hearing shall be held before the local civil service review body or before a single arbitrator. The Veteran has 30 days to request a hearing and to choose either the civil service review body or an arbitrator. If an arbitrator is chosen a list of seven arbitrators will be requested from the Bureau of Mediation Services and the employer and the veteran will each strike a name until one remains. The hearing is held and the removal is either upheld or reversed, or a lesser discipline is crafted based on the facts. Either party may appeal the decision to the District Court within 15 days.

All costs associated with the hearing will be borne by the governmental employer, except for the veteran’s attorney fees.  However, if the Veteran prevails and the level of the alleged incompetency or misconduct requiring discharge is reversed, the governmental employer shall pay the Veteran's reasonable attorney fees. 

A Veteran who has been denied Veterans preference rights, either in the hiring or the discharge process, may petition the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs for relief. The Commissioner then orders a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), who is from the independent Office of Administrative Hearings. The ALJ holds the hearing and issues Findings of Facts, Conclusions of Law and Recommendations. The Commissioner then makes the final decision. Either party then has 30 days to appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Veterans Preference Petition

• Veterans Preference Hearings (Former Policy #1413)
• MMB - Veterans
• League of Minnesota Cities - Veterans Preference in Hiring
• League of Minnesota Cities - Veterans Preference in Discipline, Discharge or Job Elimination
• Veterans Preference Act and USERRA Compliance in Employment: Navigating the Military Laws
• Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust - Veterans Preference Act and USERRA Compliance in Employment