ARTICLE 4. Veterans’ Preference [18973. - 18979.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 4.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18973. Section 18973.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply: (a) “Veteran” has the same meaning as defined in Section 18540.4. (b) “Disabled veteran” has the same meaning as defined in Section 18541. (c) “100 percent disabled veteran” means any veteran as defined in this section who is currently declared by the United States Veterans Administration to be 100 percent disabled as a result of his or her service.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18973.1. Section 18973.1.

Whenever any veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran achieves a passing score on an entrance examination, he or she shall be ranked in the top rank of the resulting eligibility list. This section shall not apply to any veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18973.5. Section 18973.5.

(a) For purposes of this article, an entrance examination is any open competitive examination. (b) No veterans’ preference under this article shall be awarded to permanent civil service employees.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18974.5. Section 18974.5.

Any member of the Armed Forces who successfully passes any state civil service examination and whose name as a result is placed on an employment list and who within 12 months after the establishment of the employment list for which the examination was given qualifies for veterans’ preference as provided for in this article shall be allowed the appropriate veterans’ credit to the same effect as though he or she were entitled to that credit at the time of the establishing of the employment list.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18975. Section 18975.

Periods of service in the recognized military service shall be counted by the department and designated appointing authority as qualifying experience upon a showing by the veteran that the veteran’s service involved duties and responsibilities of the kind for which credit for experience is being allowed.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18976. Section 18976.

(a) Request for and proof of eligibility for veterans’ preference shall be submitted by the veteran to the department or designated appointing authority conducting the employment examination. The procedures and time of filing the request shall be subject to rules promulgated by the department, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Subject to rules promulgated by the department pursuant to subdivision (a), in order to facilitate a request for veterans’ preference from a currently serving active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the department or designated appointing authority may use a document signed by an applicant’s commanding officer of the military to verify that applicant’s military service. The department or designated appointing authority, before the applicant enters state service with the benefit of the veterans’ preference, shall require the same proof of eligibility for veterans’ preference used for veterans under subdivision (a).

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18977. Section 18977.

Where experience is required as a minimum qualification for any civil service examination, a person, who is or has been on military leave from a state civil service or exempt position or from a position in any federal or other public agency the functions of which as they relate to the position have been transferred to the state shall be granted full credit for time spent on that military leave, as if he or she had remained in the position he held at the time he or she entered the military service.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18979. Section 18979.

(a) In making appointments to positions performing the duties of disabled veterans’ outreach program representatives in the disabled veterans’ outreach program or successor program of the Employment Development Department, appointments shall be made in the following order of preference: (1) Any disabled veteran. (2) Any veteran. (b) For the purposes of this section, “disabled veteran” and “veteran” have the same meaning as those terms are defined in Section 4211 of Title 38 of the United States Code. (c) A person who does not meet the criteria specified in subdivision (a) shall not be appointed to the position of disabled veterans’ outreach program representative.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026