Veterans

The State of Minnesota recognizes the enormous contributions of men and women who have served the country in uniform. While serving our country, you learned a great deal of valuable skills. Put those skills to work in state employment. We have a place for talented individuals - like you - who want to build a better Minnesota!

Definition of Veteran and Veterans Preference
- Definition of Veteran: Minnesota Statute 197.447
- Definition of Veterans Preference: Minnesota Statute 43A.11
Qualifying for Veterans Preference
To qualify for Veterans Preference, you must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Have separated under honorable conditions from any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States; AND
- Have served on active duty for 181 consecutive days or more or for the full period ordered to active duty OR have separated by reason of disability incurred while serving on active duty; AND
- Be a United States citizen or resident alien.
OR if you are a spouse of a veteran who meets all of the above criteria AND you meet either of the requirements below:
- The widow/widower (not remarried) of a deceased veteran; OR
- The spouse of a disabled veteran who cannot qualify for employment because of the disability.
Note: You will be required to present proof (DD-214) of Veterans Preference before you are hired.
Qualifying as a Recently Separated Veteran
The top five Recently Separated Veterans (RSV) who apply and meet the qualifications for a job opening will be invited to interview.

To qualify as a Recently Separated Veteran, you must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Have separated under honorable conditions from any branch of the armed forces of the United States; AND
- Have served on active duty for 181 consecutive days or more or for the full period ordered to active duty OR have separated by reason of disability incurred while serving on active duty; AND
- Be a United States citizen or resident alien; AND
- Have served in active military service at any time on or after September 11, 2001 as shown on your form DD-214.
Note: If invited to interview, you will be required to present your DD-214 to the hiring agency for verification. It is the responsibility of the veteran to apply and meet the qualifications for the vacancy, and submit and maintain current veteran information when applying for job openings.
Information for Disabled Veterans
Minnesota Statute 43A.111 Noncompetitive Appointment of Certain Disabled Veterans allows agencies to appoint disabled veterans to classified positions on a noncompetitive basis if all qualifying factors are met, including:
- The veteran meets service requirements and has a verified service-connected disability rating of at least 30%,
- The veteran provides qualifying documentation verifying the disability, and
- The veteran meets the position's minimum qualifications.
If a disabled veteran is appointed to a vacant position under this statute, the agency is not required to interview any other individuals.

Disabled Veteran Responsibilities

As indicated in Minnesota Statute 43A.111, the disabled veteran is responsible for providing the hiring agency with official written documentation indicating they meet the service requirements, have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 30%, and the document was issued within the year preceding appointment.
Information About Protected Veterans Under Federal Law
The State of Minnesota is a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002, 38 U.S.C. 4212 (VEVRAA), which requires government contractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment: (1) disabled veterans, (2) recently separated veterans, (3) active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, and (4) Armed Forces service medal veterans.

These classifications are defined as follows:
- A disabled veteran is one of the following:
  A veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; OR
  A person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
A recently separated veteran means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An Armed Forces service medal veteran means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Protected veterans may have additional rights under USERRA - the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. In particular, if you were absent from employment in order to perform service in the uniformed service, you may be entitled to be reemployed by your employer in the position you would have obtained with reasonable certainty if not for the absence due to service. For more information, call the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), toll-free, at 1-866-4-USA-DOL.

If you belong to any of the classifications of protected veterans listed above, you will have the opportunity to self-identify when you submit your online job application.
Additional Resources for Veterans
Military Skills Translator

Need help translating your military skills, experience, and training to find career opportunities in the Minnesota state government? You can find assistance on the O*Net Online's website.

Veterans Employment Resources

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs operates the LinkVet Support Site which contains information on:
- Employment
- Education
- Health and disability benefits
- Other assistance
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) also offers Veterans Employment Services to veterans seeking employment and businesses interested in hiring veterans.
Have questions or want to provide feedback?
If you have questions about your DD-214 form or if you are not certain you meet the veteran requirements, please contact your County Veterans Service Officer.

Additionally, Minnesota Management and Budget's Enterprise Human Resources staff are happy to assist you with the online application system and answer general questions about state employment. We also want to hear from you if you have feedback for us about the application process or careers website. Contact us at:
- Email: careers@state.mn.us
- Phone: 651.259.3637
- Address: 400 Centennial Office Building, 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155
- Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (except state holidays)
For questions about a specific job opening, refer to the hiring agency contact on the job posting.