Title
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Policy on Veterans and National Guard Preference in SHRA Employment
Introduction
Purpose
This policy sets forth the state requirements for employment preferences for Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard in SHRA employment.
Scope
This policy applies to Eligible Veterans and and Eligible Members of the National Guard applying for:
- Employment,
- Subsequent employment,
- Promotions,
- Reassignments, and
- Lateral transfers.
The preference and service calculations defined below apply to Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard in:
- Initial employment,
- Subsequent employment,
- Promotions,
- Reassignments,
- Lateral transfers, and
- Layoffs.
Departments are responsible for adhering to this policy when making hiring and layoff decisions involving Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard.
Policy Statement
In appreciation for their service to their country, and in recognition of the time and advantage lost toward the pursuit of a civilian career, Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard must be granted preference in University employment.
Applicants/employees who are Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard must receive priority employment consideration when competing with applicants with Substantially Equal Qualifications who are not state employees as defined in this policy. In order to claim such preference, Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard must meet the minimum training and experience requirements for the position and must be capable of performing the duties assigned to the position.
Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard must also receive military service credit as defined in this policy as it applies to training and experience in hiring decisions and as it applies to calculation of total State service in determining layoff selection.
Preference in Hiring Selection Process
An Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard who is not a current state employee must be hired when overall qualifications are substantially equal to the non-eligible persons in the most qualified applicant pool who do not have a priority described below.
If the selection decision is between an Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard who is not a state employee and an applicant with Substantially Equal Qualifications with a priority described below, the applicant with the priority described below must be selected:
- A qualified current state employee who has completed the probationary period seeking a promotion.
- A qualified state employee with layoff reemployment priority.
- An employee returning from workers’ compensation leave or military leave.
- A qualified employee separated from an exempt policy-making or exempt managerial position for reasons other than just cause.
For Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard who are current state employees seeking promotion, reassignment or lateral transfer, the eligible person competes with all other applicants who have Substantially Equal Qualifications.
Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard may receive additional training and experience credit as described below.
Calculating Training & Experience Credit for Hiring Priority
For all military service, training and experience bearing a reasonable functional relationship to the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a position, Eligible Veterans and Eligible Members of the National Guard must receive training and experience credit on a year-for-year and month-for-month basis.
If an Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard applying for a University position (initial employment, subsequent employment, promotion, reassignment, or lateral transfer) has fewer than four years of job-related military service beyond that required to meet the minimum qualifications, additional experience credit may be granted for non-related military service. This training and experience credit must be calculated as follows:
- Identify the minimum qualifications required for the position.
- Determine the amount of job-related military service possessed by the Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard.
- If the Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard has more than four years of job-related military service above the minimum qualifications, no additional experience credit may be claimed.
- However, if the Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard has less than four years of job-related military service above the minimum qualifications, the Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard may receive, on a year-for-year and month-for-month basis, additional experience credit for unrelated military service until the combined job-related and unrelated service above the minimum qualifications equals four years.
Calculating State Service Credit for Layoff Priority
When calculating state service during a layoff determination process, an Eligible Veteran or Eligible Member of the National Guard must be accorded one year of state service for each year or fraction thereof of military service, up to a maximum of five years credit.
Appeals
Refer to the UNC System Office SHRA Employee Grievance Policy for information on applicable appeals rights related to Veteran status.
Procedures
To claim the preferences described in this policy, individuals must submit the following documentation to the Office of Human Resources ("OHR") on the first day of employment during new employee orientation. OHR will verify eligibility.
- Eligible Veterans must submit a DD Form 214: Report of Separation.
- Current members of the National Guard who are in good standing of either the NC Army National Guard or NC Air National Guard must submit a copy of the NGB 23A (RPAS).
- Former members of either the NC Army National Guard or the NC Air National Guard, with honorable discharge and six years of creditable service must submit a copy of the DD 256: Honorable Discharge Certificate or NGB 22: National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service.
Definitions
- Eligible Member of the National Guard is any of the following:
- a resident of North Carolina who is a current member in good standing of either the North Carolina Army National Guard or the North Carolina Air National Guard;
- a resident of North Carolina who is a former member of either the North Carolina Army National Guard or the North Carolina Air National Guard whose discharge is under honorable conditions with a minimum of six years of creditable service;
- the surviving spouse and dependent of a member of the North Carolina Army National Guard or the North Carolina Air National Guard who dies on state active duty either directly or indirectly as a result of that service; or
- the surviving spouse or dependent of a member of the North Carolina National Guard who died for service-related reasons during peacetime.
- Eligible Veteran is any of the following:
- a Veteran who served during a period of war;
- the spouse of a disabled Veteran;
- the surviving spouse or dependant of a Veteran who dies on active duty during a period of war either directly or indirectly because of such service; or
- a Veteran who suffered a connected disability during peacetime.
- Substantially Equal Qualifications - Job-related qualifications shared by more than one applicant rendering the hiring department incapable of making a reasonable determination that the qualifications held by one applicant are significantly better suited for the position than those held by another applicant.
- Veteran - a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, for reasons other than training, and was discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.
Related Requirements
External Regulations and Consequences
University Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information
Policy Contact
Office of Human Resources
Campus Box #1045
UNC-Chapel Hill
104 Airport Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
(919) 843-2300
hr@unc.edu