Monroe County Employees: Veterans Preference and Paid VA Appointment Leave

The Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual for Monroe County's employees under the Board of County Commissioners, revised July 15, 2026, carries these veteran rules. Paid VA appointment leave (section 8). "Any employee of the County who has been rated by the Veterans Administration to have incurred a service-connected disability and has been scheduled by the Veterans Administration to be re-examined or treated for the disability shall be granted administrative leave for such examination or treatment without loss of pay or benefits", up to "six (6) calendar days a year", asked for from the department head in advance. The manual cites section 110.119, the State employees' rule, which caps the same leave at 48 hours. Any service-connected rating counts on the manual's words. Military leave. Reservists and Guard members get full pay for training up to 240 working hours from October to September, and the first 30 days of active service at full pay, under chapter 115; USERRA reemployment rights apply for up to five years of service. Veterans' preference (section 1.09). "Eligible veterans as defined in Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, will receive preference with the exception of those positions which are exempt", at hiring, retention and the first promotion after reemployment. The manual's exempt list is "elected officials, elected officials' executive assistants, assistant county administrators, department heads, temporary employees, and attorneys". Section 295.07(5)(b) exempts in a county only elected officers, board and commission members, temporary employees without benefits and posts that require Florida Bar membership, so an eligible veteran applying for a department head or assistant administrator post, or a benefited temporary job, can claim the preference. The county's Human Resources page says it gives preference "during hiring, retention, and promotion".