Hennepin County Jobs: Veterans Preference and a First-Round Interview

As an employer, Hennepin County is bound by the local government preference of section 197.455 and the removal protection of section 197.46; see the Minnesota entries on both. What Hennepin adds. "Those who are confirmed for Veterans' Preference that are placed on the eligibility list will be invited to the first round of interviews." The statute adds points and breaks ties; it does not require an interview, except for licensed teachers at a school that does not use a 100-point method. The interview is the county's own practice. Who it covers. A veteran as defined in section 197.447; a disabled veteran, meaning one with a compensable service-connected disability; the spouse of a deceased veteran; the spouse of a disabled veteran; and the spouse of a deceased disabled veteran. The county says spouses who remarried or divorced the veteran cannot use the points. The statute lets the spouse of a living disabled veteran use the preference only where the veteran, because of the disability, cannot qualify; the county asks such a spouse for a VA statement of the case or military board decision. The county also requires that the applicant be a U.S. citizen or resident alien. How to claim. Attach a DD-214 (or DD-215) showing the length of active service and the type of discharge. For disabled veteran points, add the VA benefit summary letter and a rating board statement of the disability and its percentage; for a spouse, the marriage or death certificate as the case requires. Once the documents are approved they need not be attached again, and the points are applied to each posting.