{"data":{"id":"us-mt/39-29-102","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"39-29-102","heading":"Point preference or alternative preference in initial hiring for certain applicants -- substantially equivalent selection procedure.","body":"(1) Subject to the restrictions in subsections (2) and (3), whenever a public employer uses a scored procedure, an applicant for an initial hiring, as defined in 39-30-103, must have added to the applicant's score the following percentage points of the total possible points that may be granted in the scored procedure:\n(a) 5 percentage points if the applicant is a veteran; and\n(b) 10 percentage points if the applicant is a disabled veteran or an eligible relative.\n(2) A veteran, disabled veteran, or eligible relative may not receive the percentage points provided for in subsection (1) unless the person:\n(a) is a United States citizen; and\n(b) meets the minimum qualifications required for the position. If no applicant meets the minimum qualifications and the public employer fills a training position, veterans' preference must be applied.\n(3) A disabled veteran who receives 10 percentage points under subsection (1)(b) may not receive an additional 5 percentage points under subsection (1)(a).\n(4) Whenever a public employer uses a selection procedure other than a scored procedure, the public employer shall give preference to a disabled veteran, a person with a disability, a veteran, an eligible relative as defined in 39-29-101, and an eligible spouse as defined in 39-30-103, in that order, over any nonpreferred applicant holding substantially equal qualifications, as defined in 39-30-103.\n(5) The preference under this section may include a guaranteed job interview for a veteran who meets the required qualifications for the position and has requested a preference, as provided in 39-29-103, if the public employer provides for a job interview preference by rule or ordinance. The guarantee of a job interview is not part of the preference claim that may be enforced as provided in 39-29-104.","path":["TITLE 39. LABOR","CHAPTER 29. VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE","Part 1. General Provisions"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0390/chapter_0290/part_0010/section_0020/0390-0290-0010-0020.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:54:31Z","sha256":"03e987355c5ab62634c79b226c326b6e91195860f864dd6c8ef021a7cbf7298e","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/39-29-101","next":"us-mt/39-29-103"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}