Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act

To provide certain reforms to promote accountability and efficiency in the civil service, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. At-will employment status for new Federal employees. Sec. 3. Immediate suspension of employees for misconduct or poor performance. Sec. 4. Limitation on appeal rights. Sec. 5. Restriction of pay raises. Sec. 6. Forfeiture of CSRS or FERS annuity for any employee convicted of a felony. Sec. 7. Transfer from Senior Executive Service to General Schedule. Sec. 8. Limitation on official time and use of Government resources in carrying out union activities. 2. At-will employment status for new Federal employees (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any employee in the civil service (as that term is defined in section 2101 of title 5, United States Code) hired on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act shall be hired on an at-will basis. Such an employee may be removed or suspended, without notice or right to appeal, from service by the head of the agency at which such employee is employed for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all. (b) Clarification of employment protections Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (a), this Act shall not be construed to extinguish or lessen any effort to achieve equal employment opportunity through affirmative action or any right or remedy available to any employee or applicant for employment in the civil service who is hired subject to subsection (a) under— (1) the title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq. (2) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ( 29 U.S.C. 621 et seq. (3) the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 201 et seq. (4) the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq. (5) the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 ( Public Law 112–199 (6) the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of marital status or political affiliation; (7) the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, in the case of employees of the legislative branch who are subject to such Act; (8) the protections relating to prohibited personnel practices (as that term is defined in section 2302 of title 5, United States Code); or (9) any law protecting the employment rights of veterans. (c) Appeal (1) In general Any employee or applicant for employment who is subject to subsection (a) and who seeks a remedy under any law listed in subsection (b) with respect to an adverse personnel action may, in addition to the remedies provide by such law, seek an available remedy as provided under— (A) title 5, United States Code, including appealing such action to the Merit Systems Protection Board or the Office of the Special Counsel; (B) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; or (C) consistent with the requirements of section 9, any applicable collective bargaining agreement. (2) Limitation An employee or applicant for employment may appeal an adverse personnel action only to a single agency, and may not thereafter bring any appeal pertaining to such dismissal before any other agency. (d) Application This section shall apply with respect to any employee hired on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. (e) Regulations Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, each agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government to which this section applies shall develop operating standards consistent with the requirements of this section, including standards with respect to— (1) notifying any employee hired on or after date specified in subsection (a) that such employee is an at-will employee; (2) determining which senior positions within such agency or instrumentality have the authority to separate an at-will employee from service; and (3) ensuring adequate oversight is in place to ensure that any separation of an at-will employee is not a result of discrimination or other violation of any law listed under subsection (b). (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Employee The term employee (2) Personnel action The term personnel action (3) Veteran The term veteran 3. Immediate suspension of employees for misconduct or poor performance (a) In general Chapter 75 VI Immediate suspension for misconduct or poor performance 7551. Definitions In this subchapter— (1) the term employee (2) the term suspend 7552. Immediate suspension for misconduct or poor performance (a) Under regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, the head of an agency may suspend (with or without pay) an employee of such agency if the head determines that the misconduct or performance of the employee warrants such suspension. The period of any such suspension shall be determined by the head. (b) An employee who is suspended under subsection (a) is entitled, after suspension, to— (1) a written notice, not later than 10 days after the first day of such suspension, stating the specific reasons for the suspension; (2) a reasonable time, but not less than 10 days, to answer orally and in writing and to furnish affidavits and other documentary evidence in support of the answer; (3) be represented by an attorney or other representative; and (4) a review of the case by the agency head and a written final decision and the specific reasons therefor at the earliest practicable date. (c) An employee against whom an action is taken under this section is entitled to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board under section 7701 of this title. During such appeal, the Merit Systems Protection Board may not take any action to reinstate the employee to the position of employment from which such employee is suspended until the date of the final decision of such appeal. (d) Copies of the notice of proposed action, the answer of the employee if written, a summary thereof if made orally, the notice of decision and reasons therefor, and any order affecting the suspension, together with any supporting material, shall be maintained by the agency and shall be furnished to the Merit Systems Protection Board upon its request and to the employee affected upon the employee’s request. (e) In the case of critical necessity, the head of an agency may immediately replace an employee suspended under subsection (a) without regard to sections 3309 through 3318 of title 5, United States Code. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 75 Subchapter VI—Immediate suspension for misconduct or poor performance 7551. Definitions. 7552. Immediate suspension for misconduct or poor performance. . 4. Limitation on appeal rights Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an employee (as that term is defined in section 2(g)(1)) or applicant for employment may not appeal an adverse personnel action to more than 1 agency. 5. Restriction of pay raises (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an employee may not receive an increase in annual rate of pay if such employee did not receive at least a score of 4 or 5 out of 5 (or an equivalent rating with respect to a performance appraisal system that does provide for such a scoring system) on such employee’s latest performance review under the performance appraisal system applicable to such employee. (b) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall submit to Congress a report that contains recommendations for a single-agency rating system. (c) Collective bargaining agreements (1) Application The requirements of this section shall apply to any collective bargaining agreement entered into by the head of an agency on or after the date of enactment of this Act. (2) Grievance In the case of an employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement referred to in paragraph (1), a grievance filed on behalf of such employee that results in an increased performance rating for such employee may not result in an increase in annual rate of pay for such employee. (d) Definition In this section, the term employee 6. Forfeiture of CSRS or FERS annuity for any employee convicted of a felony (a) In general Subchapter II of chapter 83 8323. Forfeiture of annuity for felony conviction. (a) (1) An individual appointed to the service who is not subject to the requirements of section 2 of the Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act may not be paid an annuity or retired pay on the basis of the service of the individual which is creditable toward the annuity if the individual was finally convicted of a felony offense. (2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term felony offense (b) An individual who is an at-will employee (as determined under section 2 of the Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act) may not be paid an annuity on the basis of the service of the individual which is creditable toward the annuity if the individual was finally convicted of a felony offense— (1) when such individual was performing creditable service (as that term is defined in section 8332 or 8411); or (2) after such individual has separated from the service, but only if such offense is related to the performance of any position within the Government formerly occupied by such individual. (c) In this section, the term finally convicted . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections of subchapter II of chapter 83 8323. Forfeiture of annuity for felony conviction. . 7. Transfer from Senior Executive Service to General Schedule (a) In general Subchapter VIII of chapter 33 (1) by redesignating section 3397 as section 3398; and (2) by inserting after section 3396 the following: 3397. Transfer to General Schedule positions (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the head of any agency may transfer a covered individual to a position within the General Schedule (subchapter III of chapter 53). (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including the requirements of section 3594, any covered individual transferred to a General Schedule position under subsection (a) shall, beginning on the date of such transfer, receive the annual rate of pay applicable to such position. (c) In this section, the term covered individual . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections of subchapter VIII of chapter 33 3397. Transfer to General Schedule positions. 3398. Regulations. . 8. Limitation on official time and use of Government resources in carrying out union activities (a) In general Section 7131 of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 7131. Limitation on official time In carrying out any activities relating to the internal business of a labor organization (including the solicitation of membership, elections of labor organization officials, and collection of dues), an employee may not— (1) perform such activities unless such employee is in a non-duty status; or (2) use any Government property (including office space or computers). . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 71 7131. Limitation on official time. .

Summary: Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act This bill requires civil service employees to be hired on an at-will basis beginning one year after this bill's enactment. Such an employee may be removed or suspended from service by the agency head for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all, without notice or right to appeal. The bill specifies how an employee or applicant may seek a remedy under specified employment protection statutes with respect to an adverse personnel action. The bill permits an agency to suspend an employee for misconduct or poor performance. The employee may appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, which may not reinstate the employee until a final decision is made on such appeal. In the case of critical necessity, an agency may immediately replace a suspended employee. An employee or applicant may not appeal an adverse personnel action to more than one agency. The bill prohibits an employee who does not receive a score of four or five out of five (or an equivalent rating) on his or her latest performance review from receiving a pay raise. A grievance filed on behalf of such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement that results in an increased performance rating for such employee may not result in a pay raise. The OPM shall submit a report that contains recommendations for a single-agency rating system. An individual appointed to the civil service who is not subject to this bill's requirements regarding at-will employment may not be paid an annuity or retired pay on the basis of such service if the individual was finally convicted of a felony offense: (1) when such individual was performing creditable service, or (2) after such individual has separated from service if such offense is related to the performance of his or her government position. An agency may transfer an individual occupying a Senior Executive Service position who is not an at-will employee to a position within the General Schedule. The bill: (1) eliminates provisions authorizing official time for an employee serving as an exclusive representative in the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement, and (2) prohibits an employee from using government property in carrying out any activities relating to the internal business of a labor organization.