Defense and national security · Veterans · Federal workforce and hiring

Executive Order 13518: Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government

President: Barack Obama

Established a government-wide veterans employment initiative with an interagency council and agency program offices.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 13518 still in effect? Yes. Active; OPM continues the interagency council agency offices strategic plans training and annual reporting.

What does Executive Order 13518 do?

EO 13518 directed agencies to improve veteran recruitment, hiring and retention; created an Interagency Council co-chaired by Labor and Veterans Affairs; required agency Veterans Employment Program Offices and government-wide strategic plans; and assigned OPM to track results and provide training.

Administration position: The initiative promotes veteran employment but does not guarantee appointment; merit rules qualifications and statutory veterans’ preference still govern selections.
SignedNovember 9, 2009
Council co-chairsLabor and Veterans Affairs
Government-wide leadOffice of Personnel Management

Before and after

Before the order

Veterans’ preference and agency programs existed without this unified council, plan and reporting framework.

After the order

Agencies created accountable program offices, trained staff and reported government-wide hiring and retention data.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
OPMLead policy data training and strategic planningContinuing
Interagency CouncilCoordinate and adviseContinuing
AgenciesMaintain program offices and improve recruitment and retentionContinuing

What happened next

EO 13518 established the initiative.