2. When a veteran applies for employment to a position that is not being filled through a competitive personnel system, the officer, board, or person whose duty it is to employ an individual to fill the available position shall investigate the qualifications of the veteran. If the veteran is found to possess the qualifications required for the position applied for, whether educational or by way of prior experience, and is physically and mentally able to perform the duties of the position applied for, the officer, board, or person shall employ the veteran. A disabled veteran is entitled to a preference superior to that given other veterans under this section, which preference must be accorded in the manner provided in this section. If the group of eligible individuals includes either veterans or disabled veterans, the employing authority of that particular agency or governmental agency shall make a selection for the available position as follows:
a. A disabled veteran is first entitled to the position and, in the absence of justifiable cause, documented in writing, for not making that selection, must be so employed. If the list includes two or more disabled veterans, then the employing authority shall fill the position from the group of eligible individuals to be considered. The employing authority may further inquire into the qualifications of each eligible individual from within that group through means including interviews, background checks, and skills testing. A disabled veteran from the group of eligible individuals is first entitled to the position and, in the absence of justifiable cause, documented in writing, for not making that selection, must be so employed.
b. If the group of eligible individuals does not include one or more disabled veterans and consists only of veterans, then the employing authority shall fill the position from the group of eligible individuals to be considered. The employing authority may further inquire into the qualifications of each eligible individual from within that group through means including interviews, background checks, and skills testing. A veteran from the group of eligible individuals is first entitled to the position and, in the absence of justifiable cause, documented in writing, for not making that selection, must be so employed.
c. If the group of eligible individuals includes nonveterans and veterans, but not disabled veterans, then the employing authority shall fill the position from the group of eligible individuals to be considered. The employing authority may further inquire into the qualifications of each eligible individual from within that group through means including interviews, background checks, and skills testing. A veteran from the group of eligible individuals is first entitled to the position and must be employed unless there is justifiable cause that is documented in writing for not employing that veteran.