State Sued Over Veterans Employment Preferences - Articles

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State Sued Over Veterans Employment Preferences

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jun 3, 2022

A sergeant in the National Guard filed suit against the Tennessee Departments of Safety and Human Resources this week, alleging that state officials failed to give him — and potentially hundreds of other job applicants — required veteran preferences in hiring. Between 2016 and 2022, Kelly Hance applied six times for a job as a Tennessee state trooper. His court filing indicates initial applications were found to meet minimum requirements for the position, but he was never offered a job. Hance repeatedly asked whether the agency was giving weight to his military service, and received mixed answers. Under a 2012 state law, veterans and their spouses who served on active federal duty in the U.S. Armed Services are required to receive a preference for a state job interview. If two candidates are equally qualified, the law requires hiring preference be given to the veteran. A spokesperson for the Tennessee Attorney General did not respond to a request for comment. Tennessee Lookout reports on the case.