Fedweek

The provision of the bill allowing compensatory time off for travel outside normal duty hours would change current policy that states that such time is not considered to be hours of employment unless the travel involves the performance of work, is carried out under arduous conditions, or results from an event that could not be scheduled or controlled administratively. Employees receiving compensatory time off for travel would not be entitled to payment for unused compensatory time earned under the provision. The bill also: revises a provision of CSRS retirement law that has the effect of discouraging employees from switching to part-time work later in their careers; expands the use of “critical pay” authority, which allows higher than normal pay in positions that require a very high level of expertise in a scientific, technical, or administrative field and are crucial to the accomplishment of an agency’s mission; requires agencies to put more emphasis on training; and improves annual leave benefits for those hired in mid-career.