((a))
((1)) The United States has an obligation to assist veterans of the Armed Forces in readjusting to civilian life. The Federal Government is also continuously concerned with building an effective work force, and veterans constitute a uniquely qualified recruiting source. It is, therefore, the policy of the United States and the purpose of this section to promote the maximum of employment and job advancement opportunities within the Federal Government for qualified covered veterans (as defined in paragraph (2)(B)) who are qualified for such employment and advancement.
((2)) In this section:
((A)) The term “agency” has the meaning given the term “department or agency” in .
((B)) The term “qualified covered veteran” means a veteran described in .
((b))
((1)) To further the policy stated in subsection (a) of this section, veterans referred to in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be eligible, in accordance with regulations which the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe, for veterans recruitment appointments, and for subsequent career-conditional appointments, under the terms and conditions specified in Executive Order Numbered 11521 (), except that—
((A)) such an appointment may be made up to and including the level GS–11 or its equivalent;
((B)) a veteran shall be eligible for such an appointment without regard to the number of years of education completed by such veteran;
((C)) a veteran who is entitled to disability compensation under the laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty shall be given a preference for such an appointment over other veterans;
((D)) a veteran receiving such an appointment shall—
((i)) in the case of a veteran with less than 15 years of education, receive training or education; and
((ii)) upon successful completion of the prescribed probationary period, acquire a competitive status; and
((E)) a veteran given an appointment under the authority of this subsection whose employment under the appointment is terminated within one year after the date of such appointment shall have the same right to appeal that termination to the Merit Systems Protection Board as a career or career-conditional employee has during the first year of employment.
((2)) This subsection applies to qualified covered veterans.
((3)) A qualified covered veteran may receive such an appointment at any time.
((c)) Each agency shall include in its affirmative action plan for the hiring, placement, and advancement of handicapped individuals in such agency as required by section 501(b) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (), a separate specification of plans (in accordance with regulations which the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe in consultation with the Secretary, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, consistent with the purposes, provisions, and priorities of such Act) to promote and carry out such affirmative action with respect to disabled veterans in order to achieve the purpose of this section.
((d)) The Office of Personnel Management shall be responsible for the review and evaluation of the implementation of this section and the activities of each agency to carry out the purpose and provisions of this section. The Office shall periodically obtain (on at least an annual basis) information on the implementation of this section by each agency and on the activities of each agency to carry out the purpose and provisions of this section. The information obtained shall include specification of the use and extent of appointments made by each agency under subsection (b) of this section and the results of the plans required under subsection (c) of this section.
((e))
((1)) The Office of Personnel Management shall submit to the Congress annually a report on activities carried out under this section. Each such report shall include the following information with respect to each agency:
((A)) The number of appointments made under subsection (b) of this section since the last such report and the grade levels in which such appointments were made.
((B)) The number of individuals receiving appointments under such subsection whose appointments were converted to career or career-conditional appointments, or whose employment under such an appointment has terminated, since the last such report, together with a complete listing of categories of causes of appointment terminations and the number of such individuals whose employment has terminated falling into each such category.
((C)) The number of such terminations since the last such report that were initiated by the agency involved and the number of such terminations since the last such report that were initiated by the individual involved.
((D)) A description of the education and training programs in which individuals appointed under such subsection are participating at the time of such report.
((2)) Information shown for an agency under clauses (A) through (D) of paragraph (1) of this subsection—
((A)) shall be shown for all veterans; and
((B)) shall be shown separately (i) for veterans who are entitled to disability compensation under the laws administered by the Secretary or whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty, and (ii) for other veterans.
((f)) Notwithstanding , the terms “veteran” and “disabled veteran” as used in subsection (a) of this section shall have the meaning provided for under generally applicable civil service law and regulations.
((g)) To further the policy stated in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary may give preference to qualified covered veterans for employment in the Department as veterans’ benefits counselors and veterans’ claims examiners and in positions to provide the outreach services required under , to serve as veterans’ representatives at certain educational institutions as provided in , or to provide readjustment counseling under .