39-30-201. Employment preference in initial hiring. (1) (a) Except as provided in 10-2-402, in an initial hiring for a position, if a job applicant who is a handicapped person or eligible spouse meets the eligibility requirements contained in 39-30-202 and claims a preference as required by 39-30-206, a public employer shall hire the applicant over any other applicant with substantially equal qualifications who is not a preference eligible applicant.
     (b) In an initial hiring, a public employer shall hire a handicapped person over any other preference eligible applicant with substantially equal qualifications.
     (2) The employment preference provided for in subsection (1) does not apply to a personnel action described in 39-30-103(3)(b) or to any other personnel action that is not an initial hiring.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 1, Sp. L. 1983; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 646, L. 1989.