VA Personnel Changes Could Move Quickly

Senate leaders on veterans’ issues say they hope to move quickly to enact a bill, possibly as soon as the end of this month, to overhaul many VA policies including restricting appeals rights of employees there. The Veterans Affairs Committee passed on a bipartisan vote S-2921, which includes those provisions along with changes in veterans’ benefits. The bill would shorten the disciplinary and appeals process for all VA employees, giving them only 10 business days rather than 30 calendar days of notice, and a similar 10 days each to answer the charges within the agency and to appeal to MSPB once an action is taken. The MSPB would have to process the case, both at the hearing officer and full board levels, within 90 days. However, it is unclear what would happen if that deadline passes, and employees would retain the right to appeal into federal court. Employees further would be ineligible for awards while discipline against them is being considered; awards already paid would have to be repaid if discipline later is taken related to the pertinent time; and reprimands and admonishments would remain in an employee’s record for at least three years unless removed earlier, and removed automatically after five years.