1. A private, nonpublic employer may grant preference to a veteran in hiring and promoting employees.
2. A private, nonpublic employer may grant preference in hiring and promotion to a spouse of a disabled veteran who has a service-connected permanent and total disability or to a surviving spouse of a deceased veteran. For the purposes of this subsection, a "disabled veteran" means a person who has a compensable, service-connected disability as adjudicated by the United States Veterans Administration or by the retirement board of one of the branches of the Armed Forces.
3. Granting preference under subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall not violate any state equal employment opportunity law.