The VA has been boosting staff to comply with new responsibilities under the PACT Act. Image: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock.com
The VA has said it is ahead of pace on its hiring surge, having hired some 33,000 employees in the first seven months of the fiscal year, through April, toward a goal of 52,000 for the fiscal year.
That includes an increase of nearly 14,000 at its largest component, the Veterans Health Administration, bringing the VHA total to some 394,000, and more than 4,000 at the Veterans Benefits Administration, bringing its total to more than 28,000. In both cases, that is the highest growth rate in more than a decade.
The VA has been boosting staff in both components in part to comply with new responsibilities under last year’s Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which expands and extends eligibility for benefits related to exposure to military burn pits and other toxins. That law and several others enacted in recent times provided the VA with a number of new hiring and compensation authorities at the department, which for years has been understaffed in a number of occupations.
Key Bills Advancing, but No Path to Avoid Shutdown Apparent
TSP Adds Detail to Upcoming Roth Conversion Feature
White House to Issue Rules on RIF, Disciplinary Policy Changes
DoD Announces Civilian Volunteer Detail in Support of Immigration Enforcement
See also,
How Do Age and Years of Service Impact My Federal Retirement
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
How to Challenge a Federal Reduction in Force (RIF) in 2025
Should I be Shooting for a $1M TSP Balance? Depends…