DoD Employee Performance Issues Move toward Decision

A House-Senate conference will address several key personnel issues affecting civilian employees of DoD, the largest department, now that the Senate has passed its version of the annual authorization bill (HR-1735) that differs from the earlier House-passed version in several ways. The House bill would require the Pentagon to report on how current RIF rules impact its ability to retain high-quality employees and invites it to make recommendations for change—presumably to seek putting a higher priority on performance ratings in deciding who stays or goes. The Senate bill would go farther by making performance the first determinant of RIF retention standing (rather than the lowest priority, under current government-wide RIF policy); it also would extend the probationary period for new DoD employees to two years from the typical one year, and set higher standards for payment of within-grade pay raises, which largely are automatic based on longevity except for those performing unacceptably. The House bill meanwhile would repeal a policy change that took effect last year at DoD reducing the per diem reimbursement rates for employees on temporary duty assignments longer than 30 days. Both would extend several special hiring authorities for hard to fill positions and would continue several special benefits applying to employees in positions in areas of active military operations. Both also would reject the Pentagon’s request for another round of base closings and consolidations and both would pressure DoD to reduce headquarters-level spending by making actual reductions, including eliminating civilian positions, rather than merely reassigning those functions to lower levels.