Public Works Construction — Veterans Hired First, and the Contractor Is Bound Too
On public works construction for the Commonwealth, a county, a town, an authority or a district, veterans are to be employed in preference to other applicants, with service-connected disabled veterans preferred first. The reach is what makes this useful: it binds the CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS doing the work, not only the public body letting it. A veteran applying to a private construction firm on a state or municipal job is inside this rule, and most site foremen have never heard of it.
Verified August 27, 2026
What this benefit is
On public works construction for the Commonwealth, a county, a town, an authority or a district, veterans are to be employed in preference to other applicants, with service-connected disabled veterans preferred first. The reach is what makes this useful: it binds the CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS doing the work, not only the public body letting it. A veteran applying to a private construction firm on a state or municipal job is inside this rule, and most site foremen have never heard of it.
What it's worth: Hiring preference on public works construction, binding on contractors as well as public bodies
- It covers public works construction by the Commonwealth, counties, towns, authorities and districts.
- IT BINDS THEIR CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS, not only the public body.
- Service-connected disabled veterans are preferred ahead of other veterans.
- It is a preference in employment, not a quota or a reserved number of posts.
- Enforcement is with the awarding jurisdiction. The Human Resources Division publishes guidance.
Who is entitled to it
- You served in the U.S. armed forces.
- Your discharge meets the state veteran definition.
- The preference covers Massachusetts public works.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1When applying to a construction firm, ask whether the job is public works. If it is, the preference applies to that firm.
- 2Say you are a veteran at the point of application, in writing where you can. An unstated preference is not applied.
- 3If you have a service-connected disability, say so — that is the higher tier of preference.
- 4If a contractor says the rule is for the state and not for them, it is not: the statute reaches contractors and subcontractors.
- 5Raise a refusal with the awarding jurisdiction — the public body that let the contract — rather than only with the firm.
- Form
- Raised with the hiring contractor or awarding jurisdiction
- File with
- Hiring contractor, with the awarding jurisdiction
- Documents you will need
- dd214
- No renewal
- Once granted it does not need renewing.
Sources
- authority · statuteMassachusetts Veterans' Laws and Benefits — public works employment preference
- operating · published policyMassachusetts Human Resources Division — preference guidance
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.