Reading Room Document

Whether Department of Justice Attorney-Hiring Procedures Give Effect to the Veterans Preference Act

This document addresses the implementation of the Veterans Preference Act in the hiring procedures for attorneys within the Department of Justice. It concludes that the department's attorney-hiring practices fully take into account the preferences afforded to veterans. The document also discusses the historical context of attorney-hiring and veterans preference, highlighting the prohibition of a rating system for attorneys and the impact of this on veterans preference. Additionally, it examines the Department's present attorney-hiring procedures and concludes that they give full effect to the Veterans Preference Act. The document also raises the question of whether the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can require the implementation of a numerical rating system for attorneys, which it concludes is prohibited by appropriation legislation.

April 10, 1979