Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act
This bill clarifies that state or local election jurisdictions may, if they choose, give hiring preference to certain groups when recruiting election workers. Specifically, it allows preferences for veterans and for individuals with disabilities. It also adds provisions for spouses and dependents of absent military voters: such nonresident military spouses or dependents may receive employment preference and cannot be refused hire solely because they do not maintain a residence in the jurisdiction. The bill is titled the Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act, and defines “an individual with a disability” using a standard that the impairment substantially limits major life activities. It references military/spouse definitions tied to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) for nonresident status.
Key Points
- 1Preferences for hiring election workers: States/localities may give preference to veterans or individuals with disabilities when hiring election workers to administer elections.
- 2Definition of disability: An “individual with a disability” means someone whose impairment substantially limits any major life activities.
- 3Spouses/dependents of absent military voters: Jurisdictions may grant hiring preference to nonresident military spouses or dependents and may not refuse hiring such individuals solely because they do not have a place of residence in the state/local jurisdiction.
- 4Nonresident military spouse/dependent definition: Defined by reference to an absent uniformed services voter under UOCAVA (52 U.S.C. 20310(1)(C)).
- 5Short title: The act may be cited as the Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act.
- 6Status and process: Introduced in the House (H.R. 5734) and referred to the House Administration Committee; no enactment date or federal effective date specified in the text as introduced.