The Senior Executives Association has objected to the latest measure targeting SES disciplinary and other policies to advance in Congress, HR-4358, which now has cleared the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
In a letter to the committee, the association noted that several of the disciplinary provisions mirror those enacted in 2014 for executives at the VA, including denying pay retention for those demoted into the GS system, and allowing only seven days for an appeal to be filed at the MSPB following a notice of discipline and only 21 days for a decision there or else the agency will win by default.
Such provisions make career executives more vulnerable to targeting by political appointees, it said, as would another provision, allowing suspensions of less than 14 days–which are not appealable.
Further, a provision to require reassignments every five years would take key personnel decisions out of the hands of agencies that are in the best position to decide how to allocate their people, it said.
Another provision, to extend the standard SES probationary period from one to two years, is not objectionable but also is not necessary given the extensive process for advancement into the executive ranks, it said.
