Republicans in the House and Senate have brought up again a bill that would make it easier to fire Federal workers, turning them into “at-will” workers.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. , and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, introduced the Public Service Reform Act on May 9, which they said aims to increase accountability and efficiency in the Federal government by removing “poor-performing employees. ”.
The bill would also eliminate the Merit Systems Protection Board, which serves as the guardian of Federal merit systems to protect against partisan political and other prohibited personnel practices.
“It is far past time to reinstate accountability to the people for the Federal bureaucracy by requiring that like any private sector employee, Federal workers can be removed from their positions,” Rep. Roy said in a statement.
“Notwithstanding the majority of Federal workers who faithfully serve, especially our law enforcement personnel, we should not allow a wall of red tape to shield those engaged in noncompliance with the law and brazen political partisanship,” he continued. “Federal employees should keep their jobs based on merit, just like the people they serve. ”.
The bill covers all executive branch employees and limits appeals after termination to claims of whistleblower retaliation and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints.
“It’s time to change Washington so it actually works for the American people. All executive branch employees will be able to leave at any time under the Public Service Reform Act, which will make the federal government more accountable and responsive. Scott said. “This is common sense and I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this good bill. ”.
The idea of the bill is reminiscent of the Trump administration’s October 2020 executive order that created a new “Schedule F” classification for Federal employees deemed to be in policy-making positions.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. , led the opposition to the executive order that would have made it easier to hire and fire people in the proposed Schedule F class. They said the order would have turned Federal jobs into a “patronage system.”
Democrats are continuing to push against any future version of the Trump administration’s Schedule F executive order.
Reps. Connolly and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., introduced the Saving the Civil Service Act in February, which would prevent the wholesale reclassifications of Federal employees without the consent of lawmakers.
“Civil service employment should always be based upon merit and expertise, not political connections,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said at the time. “The security of our nation depends upon an efficient and competent Federal workforce.”
He continued, “This legislation would ensure that political loyalties play no significant role in hiring Federal employees, and I’m proud to co-lead this effort to further ensure that our workforce consists of the best and brightest individuals.” Read More About
In the past few months, Republicans in Congress have introduced a number of bills that would cut federal workers’ pay and benefits. These bills are mostly about federal workers’ locality pay, retirement benefits, and the right to work from home. The bills come from Republicans who don’t like how much the government spends and think that federal workers are paid too much.
Locality Pay Cuts For Teleworkers
In August 2024 Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced the Federal Employee Remote Work Act, which would cut locality pay for federal workers who telework at least one day per week. These workers would be placed in the “Rest of U.S.” locality pay region, the area with the lowest locality pay.
This could amount to a pay cut of up to 30% for federal employees in high-cost cities like New York and San Francisco. In October, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced a companion bill in the House.
People who support the bills say that taxpayers shouldn’t pay extra for teleworkers who live in areas with lower costs of living. Federal worker unions, on the other hand, say that locality pay is meant to attract skilled workers and not pay for living costs.
Retirement Benefit Cuts
It was introduced by Senator Cassidy in August. This bill would keep all new hires’ locality pay out of the calculations for their Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pensions.
Currently, FERS pension benefits are calculated using basic pay plus locality pay. By removing locality pay, new federal hires would receive significantly lower retirement benefits.
Cassidy says this bill would save money for taxpayers and stop pushing federal workers to work in expensive places. But federal unions say it would make it harder for the government to hire top talent.
Hiring Freeze and Pay Freeze
In December, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Acts. This package of bills aligns with President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for reducing government spending.
One DOGE bill would impose a federal hiring freeze for 1 year and limit hires for the following 3 years. Another bill would freeze federal salaries for 1 year. Blackburn argues these measures are necessary to cut costs as federal offices sit empty due to increased telework.
However, the Biden administration has stressed the need to hire more tech professionals for roles in cybersecurity, IT, and artificial intelligence. A hiring and pay freeze could hamper these efforts.
Reinstating Schedule F
The DOGE Acts would also reinstate Schedule F, a controversial policy from the Trump administration that stripped civil service protections from certain federal positions.
Schedule F made it easier to fire employees in “policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating” roles. Supporters said it improved accountability, but detractors argued it politicized the civil service.
By bringing back Schedule F, the DOGE Acts prioritize presidential powers over nonpartisan expertise. However, the bills would exempt public safety and national security agencies.
Outlook
While unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate, the Republican bills signal how a GOP White House could approach the federal workforce. Curbing hiring, pay, benefits, and job security for government employees remains popular with some conservatives.
However, federal unions and worker advocates argue these measures would sabotage recruitment and retention, especially for high-demand STEM roles. With divided government, compromises may be required to balance efficiency, costs, and competitiveness.
Republican Bill Would Allow President To Replace Federal Workers With Party Loyalists
FAQ
What is the Back to Work Act of 2024?
The Back to Work Act of 2024 would: Set a general ceiling of 40% of days in a pay period for federal agency telework. Give each agency a fair amount of freedom, such as letting them get waivers for certain types of jobs where telework is needed to meet agency needs.
What is the Federal Employee pay Act?
S 807, the Federal Employees Pay Act of 1945, marked the first change in basic pay rates of Federal employees except those in the mechanical forces since 1930. Before the upper brackets, the War Overtime Pay Act of 1943 paid at the rate of time and one-twelfth for all work over 40 hours per week.
What is the bill for federal workers to return to work?
What is the Federal Employee Return to Work Act S. 4834?
This bill, the Federal Employee Return to Work Act, aims to prohibit certain federal employees who telework regularly (defined as at least 1 day per week or 20% of the time for those on alternative work schedules) from receiving annual pay adjustments under Section 5303 of Title 5 of the United States Code.
Will federal employees get paid if they telework?
People who work for the government and do telework at least one day a week would not get any locality pay under the Federal Employee Return to Work Act. Instead, according to the legislation, federal employees who telework would receive only their basic pay rates.
Will federal employees be paid at Locality pay?
Federal employees covered under the bill would be paid at the Rest of U.S. locality pay area rate under the General Schedule. The Federal Employee Locality Accountability in Retirement Act (S. 4833) would exclude locality pay when calculating retirement payments for federal employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).
Will the federal employee return to Work Act reduce pay and retirement benefits?
The Federal Employee Return to Work Act and the Federal Employee Locality Accountability in Retirement Act, introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), would significantly reduce pay and retirement benefits for federal employees who work remotely.
Will the federal employee return to work act remove locality pay?
If enacted, the Federal Employee Return to Work Act would remove locality pay for any federal employee who teleworks at least one day a week. Federal teleworkers would instead only receive their base pay rates. The House bill, introduced this week, comes after Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the legislation in August.
Will federal employee pay be cut?
By Ian Smith August 5, 2024 6:45 AM Federal Employee Pay News Leave a comment Recently introduced legislation would potentially cut pay for the majority of the federal workforce. The bills were introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and target telework and locality pay.
Will federal teleworkers get locality pay?
Senate legislation targeting locality pay for federal teleworkers now has a companion bill in the House. If enacted, the Federal Employee Return to Work Act would remove locality pay for any federal employee who teleworks at least one day a week. Federal teleworkers would instead only receive their base pay rates.
