Effect of Existing Flexibilities to Be Examined

Meanwhile, the Senate federal workforce subcommittee plans hearings this week on the topic of government-wide personnel flexibilities—in particular focusing on how much the existing authorities are being used and how well agencies are doing in training and educating their workforces about them. The hearing could be an opportunity for those who favor expanding the special authorities like those on tap at DoD and the Department of Homeland Security. The White House earlier this year said it wants a government-wide reform along the lines of DoD and DHS—a position that various officials have repeated in the months since–although the administration has yet to formally propose legislation. Many in Congress are reluctant to expand those authorities until they have been tested for some time, and argue that agencies should make better use of the flexibilities they already have in hiring, compensation and other personnel matters.