Other Bills Stalled; More Introduced

Also left for after the recess was another fallout from the VA scandal,a bill making it easier for all agencies to discipline SES members through steps such as a lengthened probation period, authority for suspensions of less than 14 days, and ending pay retention for those downgraded into the GS for performance reasons. That measure has bipartisan support, although several of its provisions could cause a hangup moving forward. Another priority of civil service leaders of both the House and Senate, postal reform with potential implications on jobs, health insurance, injury compensation benefits and more, has cleared the committee level on both sides but still awaits floor voting. Meanwhile, among recently introduced bills are: one to allow veterans with disability ratings of 30 percent or more who are hired into federal jobs to immediately use, for care related to that condition, the full 104 hours of sick leave they would accumulate in their first year of service; and one to repeal the higher retirement contributions required of employees hired since 2012 unless they are being rehired following a break in service with at least five years of prior service.