"Veteran" means any person who has served full time for 30 days or more in the armed forces in time of war or in time of peace in a campaign or expedition for service in which a medal has been authorized by the Government of the United States, or during the period September 16, 1940 to January 31, 1955, or who has served at least 181 consecutive days since January 31, 1955, and who has been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, but does not include any person who served only in auxiliary or reserve components of the armed forces whose service therein did not exempt him or her from the operation of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940.
Widows and widowers of a veteran who met these criteria are also eligible for Veterans’ Preference in open exams.
A "disabled veteran" means any veteran who meets the applicable definition above, and who is currently declared by the United States’ Veterans Administration to be 10 percent or more disabled as a result of military service.
A "100 percent disabled veteran" means any veteran who meets the definition above, and who is currently declared by the United States' Veterans Administration to be 100 percent disabled as a result of military service. Spouses of 100% disabled veterans are also eligible for Veterans’ Preference as of January 1, 1983.
Proof of such disability shall be deemed conclusive if it is on record with the United States' Veterans Administration.
Competitors in State civil service open examinations who have never achieved permanent civil service status (passed probationary period), who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces as defined in Government Code Section 18540, and who qualify as veterans as defined above, are entitled to have Veterans’ Preference applied to their test scores as described below, provided that they achieve a passing score in the overall examination.
NOTE: Any member of the armed forces who takes an open examination while still on active duty and achieves a place on an eligible list may have preference applied for the examination if qualification for such preference is active within twelve (12) months after eligibility is established.
You are not eligible for Veteran’s Preference if you are:
Veterans’ Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.
Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Effective January 1, 2014, in accordance with Government Codes 18973.1 and 18973.5, Veterans’ Preference will be awarded as follows: 1) Any veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran, who achieves a passing score in an entrance examination, shall be ranked in the top rank of the resulting eligibility list. Any veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released is not eligible for Veterans’ Preference. 2) An entrance examination is defined, under the law, as any open competitive examination. And 3) Veterans’ Preference is not granted once a person achieves permanent civil service status.
Veterans’ Preference will automatically be applied to your final score on the eligible list if your eligibility for Veterans’ Preference is approved BEFORE the eligible list is processed.
Click here for additional Veterans' Preference information.
For more information, call (866) 844-8671 and select option 3, or TTY (916) 323-6207.