house Bill H.R. 1038
Should VA Employee’s Misconduct Stay on Their Permanent Records?
Argument in favor
This bill would ensure that the misconducts made by VA employees are not forgotten. After recent controversies, it’s important that mistakes made by employees of the agency be well-documented.
05/18/2015
This bill reduces the potential corruption in public sphere. I am in favor of that.
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05/18/2015
Misconducts stay with employees in private corporation and business, why should the VA be any different?
Argument opposed
The VA is certainly in need of more oversight. But reprimands and admonishments are given for stuff like showing up late. The real problem of the VA is in its structure and leadership, not just some guy or gal showing up late a few too many times.
05/18/2015
There's no need for these to be permanent records. 3-4 years is sufficient, as it allows for enough time to see a pattern if needed but not enough to permanently punish someone for a minor infraction.
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05/18/2015
There should be a statute of limitations so that minor misconducts are expunged from the records after some period of time, e.g. 3 years after tardiness has resulted in a warning.
This bill reduces the potential corruption in public sphere. I am in favor of that.
There's no need for these to be permanent records. 3-4 years is sufficient, as it allows for enough time to see a pattern if needed but not enough to permanently punish someone for a minor infraction.
Misconducts stay with employees in private corporation and business, why should the VA be any different?
There should be a statute of limitations so that minor misconducts are expunged from the records after some period of time, e.g. 3 years after tardiness has resulted in a warning.
Veterans' screw-ups are permanently on their records. Why should government bureaucrats be exempt from similar treatment?
The buck should be placed at the feet of the employer, not the employee.
I think it's important that the VA reform itself from the bottom up. This is an organization that is supposed to help our veterans. Therefore it should give its best efforts.
As a Veteran and a General Manager in the utility workforce, if an employee performs misconduct it stays on their permanent record. The same should be true for the VA or any other government institution.
Regardless of the employe misconduct, things should be recorded for later times for administration to track the individuals job performance. I know people who get fired for showing up late to their jobs and why shouldn't the VA be any different?
Draconian punishment. Poor incentive to correct behavior... No one would apply for VA jobs in a department that already understaffed. Is their another way to Fix the VA without hurting workers with unprecedented lifetime punishments?
This should be the case for all Federal and State employees, including those elected to office.
What are records for if they don't keep records of things that have happened?
Yes that way they have a documented history and record of transgressions and of the behavior
This is a gross violation against Country and should never be stricken from the record.
I would not assume the definition of misconduct is understood. Need more info on this.