Bill adds federal hiring preference for fathers of disabled vets

Fathers would be treated the same as mothers when it comes to receiving federal hiring preferences if they have a child who is a totally disabled veteran, under a bill introduced May 6.

Sponsored by Reps. Timothy Bishop, D-N.Y., and Walter Jones, R-N.C., the bill adds fathers to a 10-point hiring preference already available to mothers.

The bill, HR 1832, was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for consideration. This is the panel responsible for federal employee policies.

The current preference, adding points to examination scores or ratings, applies to mothers of totally and permanently disabled veterans who served in an overseas contingency operation. The veteran must have received an honorable or general discharge and have a service-connected injury or illness.

It also applies to a surviving mother of service member who dies under honorable conditions during war or an operation for which a campaign medal is authorized.

The mother has to be living with the veteran to qualify.

The Bishop-Jones bill would keep the same criteria but allow a father to also receive hiring preference.