Restrictions on DHS, DoD Personnel Systems Advance

By: fedweek

The full House and a key House committee have acted to scale back the alternative personnel systems that the Bush administration has been trying to put in place at DHS and DoD, although the fate of both systems remains far from settled. The full House approved a DHS authorization bill (HR-1684) for fiscal 2007 that would repeal the authority for changes in labor relations, appeal rights and compensation rules that DHS was granted under a 2003 law. Meanwhile, the House Armed Services Committee has voted, as part of a DoD authorization bill (HR-1585), to repeal the labor relations and appeal rights provisions of the special personnel authority there, while leaving open the prospect of overhauled pay systems there – although only after union participation.