Proposed reduction in force procedure would illegally disregard veterans preference

DAV strongly opposes the Office of Personnel Management’s proposal to change federal Reduction in Force procedures because they would remove long-standing veterans’ preference protections and undermine the balanced framework established by Congress.

Veterans’ preference is a statutory safeguard—not a discretionary option—and cannot be diminished through regulation. The proposal exceeds OPM’s authority, violates the Administrative Procedure Act, and fails to justify such a significant departure from established policy.

At a time when hundreds of thousands of veterans serve in the federal workforce, these changes would disproportionately harm those who have already sacrificed for our nation. DAV urges OPM to withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety to preserve fair and lawful protections that keep the promise to America’s veterans.