{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr1994-114/featured_va-accountability-act-of-2015-1454549494.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr1994-114/featured_large_va-accountability-act-of-2015-1454549494.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr1994-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-04-23","title_override":"Should It Be Easier For the VA to Fire Corrupt Or Incompetent Employees?","summary_override":"

This bill would give the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) more power to remove or demote a VA employee based on performance or misconduct. This could manifest by removing them from the civil service, demoting them through a reduction in status or annual pay rate.

The bill also limits the awards and bonuses paid to VA employees and outlines a new process for handling whistleblower complaints.

Introduced in response to a very public scandal in 2014, this bill focuses on the past failure of the VA to take stern disciplinary action against corrupt or incompetent employees. As of April 2015 the VA had only begun disciplining a handful of employees embroiled in the scandal, and had yet to fire any.

Don't worry VA workers — Under this bill, employees have the right to appeal before the Merit Systems Protection Board within seven days of their removal or demotion. An administrative judge would also have to make a final decision within 45 days of the appeal — otherwise the original decision becomes final.

The VA can't remove or demote an employee without the approval of the Office of Special Counsel if the employee on the chopping block seeks \"corrective action\".

People who are appointed to a permanent position (within the competitive service, or in parts of the Senior Executive Service) have to go through an 18-month probationary period. That probation can be extended by the VA Secretary, and ended by the employee’s supervisor.

","official_title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the removal or demotion of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs based on performance or misconduct, and for other purposes.","short_title":"VA Accountability Act of 2015","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"VA Accountability Act of 2015\n\n(Sec. 2) This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to remove or demote a VA employee based on performance or misconduct.\n\nThe VA may also remove an individual from the civil service or demote the individual through a reduction in grade or annual pay rate.\n\n A demoted individual: (1) shall be paid at the demoted rate as of the date of demotion, (2) may not be placed on administrative leave or any other category of paid leave while an appeal is ongoing, and (3) may only receive pay and other benefits if the individual reports for duty.\n\n The VA shall notify Congress of, and the reason for, any removal or demotion.\n\nAn employee shall have the right to an appeal before the Merit Systems Protection Board within seven days of removal or demotion. If an administrative judge does not make a final decision within 45 days the original decision becomes final. The Board or an administrative judge may not stay any removal or demotion.\n\n Between the d...","summarized":true,"cost":0,"cost_commentary":"The CBO estimates that implementing this bill would reduce costs by $145 million over the 2016-2020 period.","impact":"VA employees accused of misconduct facing termination or demotion, people elected for a permanent job in the competitive service; the Merit Systems Protection Board; and the administrators in the VA — including the Secretary of the VA.","argument_for":"The VA needs to be able to fire, demote, or otherwise punish employees that perform poorly in their jobs. Why should incompetent federal employees keep their jobs when their private sector counterparts would be fired?","argument_against":"All federal agencies should have flexibility should have more flexibility to fire incompetent employees — not just the VA. 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Should It Be Easier For the VA to Fire Corrupt Or Incompetent Employees?