Hire Veterans Act

This bill creates a five-year pilot program to help veterans get jobs at federal land management agencies, like the National Park Service. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must set it up and share information on its website, and veterans can apply to take part. The program uses tests to match veterans’ strengths to jobs in areas like firefighting, ecology, engineering, recreation management, and more. If a veteran shows the needed skills, an agency can hire them without the usual competition. If not, the agency must offer training and retest them until they qualify. OPM can also waive certain education credential requirements when needed. Agencies must refer applicants to the official federal jobs website, and OPM will report each year on how the program is going.

Key points

• Who is affected: U.S. military veterans; federal land agencies (e.g., National Park Service).
• What changes: A pilot program with skills testing; possible hiring without the usual competition; training and retesting if needed; potential waivers of some credential requirements; info posted on OPM’s site; referrals to the federal jobs website; yearly reports to Congress.
• When: OPM issues testing guidance within 180 days; the program is established within one year and ends five years after it starts.