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Missy1974
Hello,
I hope everyone is well. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding Federal Government Title 38 employees (Professional Healthcare worker such as RN, Physician, etc.)? Has any veteran experienced difficulty in obtaining employment at the MEDVAMC in Houston, Texas or any VA facility? If yes, do they feel that veteran status had a negative impact? Who else should I contact in order to file a grievance against the Title 38 veterans preference exemption?
I have a Masters Degree as a Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) and I am interested in seeking employment at the MEDVAMC in Houston, Texas. I have applied at the facility for more than 8 years without success. I am greater than 50% Service Connected. Registered Nurses and other healthcare professionals are considered "Title 38" employees which means that we cannot use Veterans Preference when applying for jobs at the VA. I am board certified as an Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care and Wound Ostomy and Continence.
I wrote the Secretary of VA and inquired as to why Title 38 employees are exempt from veterans preference and my letter was forwarded to the Director of HR in Houston, TX. I asked her to explain the reason military veteran RNs and other health care professionals cannot use veteran preference.....Her answer because the VA only wants the best qualified candidates. My question to her was that if a veteran is qualified to be a commissioned officer in the military as a Registered Nurse why are they not considered among the best qualified to work in a Veterans Hospital? I also asked to know the qualifications of Nurses and Advance Practice Nurses that were chosen instead of me. Her answer was that hiring was strictly up to the hiring manager.
I have nothing against foreigners (several of my in-laws are foreigners) but all of the hiring managers that I interviewed with were foreigners--Filipino, East Indian, and/or African. The staff nurse interview panels were always completely homogenous either all Filipino, East Indian, or African. I feel that by exempting Veterans from preference there is a possibility that Veterans may be inadvertently discriminated against due to their Veteran Status. The reason I say this is because at every interview the hiring manager or panel come across as 'skittish' or 'unsure' when my military service is illuminated. I asked the HR Director how many nurses at the facility were military veterans? Her answer was approximately 6%. She could not provide any information on how many of the 6% were in leadership positions or hiring managers.
I wrote both of my Senators this past summer (Ted Cruz and John Cornyn) regarding the Title 38 exemption for Veterans Preference. I feel that RNs, Physicians, and other healthcare workers should be entitled to Veterans Preference. I received no response from Ted Cruz. John Cornyn's office thanked me for my service and gave some generic response on how they supported veterans. Congressional Veterans House and Senate members, the ones that make laws, do not provide responses.
I know illuminating race/country of origin is a sensitive subject for some people. If my letter is coming across as brash, abrasive, or offensive that is not my intention. I am primarily concerned about the possibility of being discriminated against due to my veteran status not race or natural born citizenship.
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Berta
I would read over their EEOC ADA criteria if I were you. It is probably on line as well as at the VA facility and the same for every VAMC. They must have some sort of criteria for doctor and nurs
Missy1974
Thanks for the response and the information. I will take your advice and request information under the FOIA. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a lot of nepotism/cronyism at this particular VA
Missy1974
Hello, I hope everyone is well. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding Federal Government Title 38 employees (Professional Healthcare worker such as RN, Physician, etc.)? Has any
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