3/13/26 BOLI Amends Veterans’ Preference Rules to Include National Guard Members

March 13, 2026

Last summer, the Oregon Legislature enacted SB 808 (2025), expanding Oregon’s veterans’ preference law to include current and former Oregon National Guard servicemembers, effective January 1, 2026. (See our July 29, 2025 BL E-Alert for background.)

To implement these statutory changes, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (“BOLI”) recently amended its rules at OAR 839-006-0435 through 839-006-0470. Copies of BOLI’s proposed rulemaking and final administrative order are available here. The updated rules focus on adding “state servicemembers” and “former state servicemembers” to the veterans’ preference in public employment procedures. The rules also revise key definitions, identify acceptable documents for establishing eligibility, and reaffirm that public employers must apply the employment preference “at each stage of the application process.” OAR 839-006-0450.

Oregon’s public employers should review their hiring procedures to ensure compliance with these changes to veterans’ preference regulations if they have not done so already. 

For questions on compliance with these new rules or state or federal veterans’ preference requirements, contact Missy Oakley (moakley@barran.com) or Nicole Elgin (nelgin@barran.com).