Hospital Veterans Administration facilities do not have to consider "Veterans Preference" for certain medical specialties (Physicians, Dentists, Podiatrist, Chiropractors, Optometrists, Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, and expanded-function dental auxiliaries) due to Title 38 USC 7401. Some VA facilities are using Title 38 USC 7401 as a loophole in order NOT to hire the above mentioned specialties in their facilities because professional Veteran Employees would not allow VA facilities to cut corners when providing care to Veterans.
As a Service Connected Veteran and Masters prepared Registered Nurse, I believe that Title 38 USC 7401 should be amended to include Veterans Preference for medical specialties. The Federal Government has a long standing tradition of including Veterans Preference when hiring Federal Employees.
Myself and several Veteran RN employees have attempted for 5+ to gain employment at the MEDVAMC in Houston, Texas but despite our education, experiences, etc. we have not been successful. The salient issue is that many of our former RN colleagues who are not Veterans and have less experience/education are hired. My colleagues and I have applied for a variety of positions (even staff level RN jobs that do not require Masters Degrees and Certifications but are still unsuccessful). Due to Title 38 USC 7401, we cannot inquire or obtain information with regards to candidates that were selected instead of us in order to ascertain whether or not they were more or less qualified.
On November 9, 2009, President Obama, issued an Executive Order for the Federal Government to increase employment initiatives and hiring of Veterans. MEDVAMC and many VA facilities are going backwards when it comes to hiring Veterans. The MEDVAMC is mandated to employ 40% Veteran at its facilities they are currently at 20% and have been shrinking over the last 5 years.
Veterans Preference is not an AFFIRMATIVE ACTION program. Veterans often times are automatically labeled and overlooked for jobs we are well and often times over qualified for simply because we are Veterans (example: Vietnam). Some employers discriminate against Veterans who are active Guard and Reserve members because of the weekend drills and two week annual training requirements. (Been there and witnessed with my own eyes.) Many Iraq War veterans are experiencing an extremely difficult time obtaining employment NOT because they are unqualified but due to discriminatory practices of hiring Veterans.
I remember a conversation I had with an RN Colleague and she assumed that many Veterans are mentally unstable and have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Military Sexual Trauma and often abuse drugs and alcohol due to the stress of being in the military. Sadly, I fear that she is not alone in her assumptions although they are false.
If you are a Veteran and you are having difficulty obtaining employment at VA Hospitals please comment on this thread. I would love to hear from you.
You can also contact your local or National VSO and submit a formal complaint with the:
[COLOR=#333c41]
National Veterans Legal Services Program
P. O. Box 65762
Washington, DC 20035[COLOR=#333c41]Phone: 202.265.8305
If you are not a Veteran and you are interested in having Title 38 Amended requiring VA facilities to include Veterans Preference I encourage you to contact the NVLS above, your congressman, and/or a local VSO organization. Thank you.
