---
title: O.C.G.A. § 34-1-8. Veterans’ preference employment policy; use not a violation.
collection: code
id: 34-1-8
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 34-1-8 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-1-8
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-1-8.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-1-8/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t34-(v26)-2017-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=ba91129b_0#page=11
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 34-1-8. Veterans’ preference employment policy; use not a violation.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) ‘‘Employer’’ means any person engaged in business and having one or more employees, but does not include the federal government, state, or any political subdivision of the state.

(2) ‘‘Veteran’’ means an individual who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States and was honorably discharged from such service.

(3) ‘‘Veterans’ preference employment policy’’ means any employer’s policy of preference in hiring, promoting, or retaining a veteran over any other qualified applicant or employee.

(b) Any employer may create and use a veterans’ preference employment policy, which shall be in writing and applied uniformly to employment decisions regarding hiring, promotion, or retention during a reduction in force.

(c) An employer’s use of a veterans’ preference employment policy as provided for in this Code section shall not constitute a violation of any local or state equal employment opportunity law.

## History

Code 1981, § 34-1-8, enacted by Ga. L. 2015, p. 620, § 2/HB 443.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2015, p. 620, § 1/HB 443, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: ‘‘This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Voluntary Veterans’ Preference Employment Policy Act.’’’

## Administrative Rules and Regulations

Veterans’ preference, Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Rules of the State Personnel Board, § 478-1-.18.

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective July 1, 2015.