The Minnesota Veterans Preference Act (VPA) grants most veterans a limited preference over non-veterans in hiring and promotion for most Minnesota public employment positions, as granted in Minnesota Statutes 197.48, 43A.11, and 197.455. These statues may apply to certain spouses of veterans. The Minnesota VPA Statutes apply to Minnesota public employment, "civil service laws, charter provisions, ordinances, rules or regulations of a county, city , town, school district, or other municipality or political subdivision of this state."

For Minnesota VPA purposes, Minnesota Statute 197.447 provides the definition/eligibility requirements of "veteran." Minnesota Statute 197.46 grants most veterans protection against unfair dismissals and demotions from most Minnesota public positions, without first providing the veteran a VPA hearing. Spouses of veterans are not included. Also, various Minnesota public positions are exempt from 197.46, and employers are NOT required to grant veterans a VPA employment termination hearing from those positions. Minnesota Statute 197.455 exempts Minnesota state civil service employment positions. Minnesota Statute 197.46 exempts the following public positions, "Nothing in section 197.455 or this section (197.46) shall be construed to apply to the position of private secretary, teacher, superintendent of schools, or one chief deputy of any elected official or head of a department, or to any person holding a strictly confidential relation to the appointing officer."

For copies of the most current published VPA Statutes, please visit www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us

The Minnesota VPA Statutes do NOT have authority regarding veterans’ preference rights for U.S. Federal employment positions, including, but not limited to U.S. Postal positions.  Questions regarding Veterans Preference rights relative to U.S. Federal positions should be directed to Mr. Kevin Nagel, the local U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Representative at (651) 259-7511 or e-mail Nagel.kevin@dol.gov.

More Details about the Veterans Preference Act

Veterans Preference Brochure

You may contact MDVA's Veterans Preference Representative at: (651) 757-1568