What does Absolute Veterans Preference mean?
In 1997, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that military veterans shall receive absolute hiring preference over non-veterans in the same grade category. Absolute Veterans Preference refers to two aspects of the hiring process. First, preference points are awarded to the passing scores of veterans when they apply for open competitive grades. The points vary depending on the nature of the military service and the status of the veteran. Second, when an agency hires from the open competitive eligibility list, it must consider veteran applicants before non-veterans.
