Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act

To provide authorities for the appropriate conversion of temporary seasonal wildland firefighters and other temporary seasonal employees in Federal land management agencies who perform regularly recurring seasonal work to permanent seasonal positions. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act 2. Personnel flexibilities relating to land management agencies (a) In general Subpart I of part III of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 95 the following: 96 PERSONNEL FLEXIBILITIES RELATING TO LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES Sec. 9601. Definition. 9602. Competitive service; time-limited appointments. 9601. Definitions For purposes of this chapter— (1) the term land management agency (A) the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture; (B) the Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior; (C) the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior; (D) the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior; (E) the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior; and (F) the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior; (2) the term successor permanent position (3) the term time-limited appointment 9602. Competitive service; time-limited appointments (a) Eligibility To compete for permanent appointments Notwithstanding chapter 33 or any other provision of law relating to the examination, certification, and appointment of individuals in the competitive service, an employee of a land management agency serving under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service is eligible to compete for a permanent appointment in the competitive service under the merit promotion procedures of the land management agency if— (1) the employee was appointed initially under open, competitive examination under subchapter I of chapter 33 to the time-limited appointment; (2) the employee has served under 1 or more time-limited appointments by the land management agency for a period or periods totaling not less than 24 months without an intervening break of 2 or more years; and (3) the performance of the employee under the time-limited appointments has been at an acceptable level of performance during the period of service described in paragraph (2). (b) Conversion to successor permanent positions (1) In general Notwithstanding chapter 33 or any other provision of law relating to the examination, certification, and appointment of individuals in the competitive service, an employee of a land management agency serving under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service shall be offered any successor permanent position that the land management agency decides to fill and, with the agreement of the employee, be appointed to the successor permanent position if— (A) the employee was appointed initially under open, competitive examination under subchapter I of chapter 33 to the time-limited appointment; (B) (i) the job announcement for the time-limited position stated that there was potential for the position to become permanent; or (ii) the first time-limited appointment of the employee by the land management agency occurred before the date of enactment of this chapter; (C) the employee has served under 1 or more time-limited appointments in a position or positions in the land management agency with the same or substantially similar major duties and qualification requirements as the successor permanent position for a period or periods totaling not less than 24 months without an intervening break of 2 or more years; and (D) the performance of the employee under the time-limited appointments has been at an acceptable level of performance during the period of service described in subparagraph (C). (2) Preference eligibles If 2 or more employees are eligible to be offered a successor permanent position under paragraph (1), the land management agency shall give priority to such an employee who is a preference eligible. (3) Equal preference If 2 or more employees are eligible to be offered a successor permanent position under paragraph (1) and have equal priority for the successor permanent position, the land management agency shall use competitive procedures consistent with merit system principles to determine to which employee the successor permanent position will be offered. (c) Treatment of appointed employees An appointment to a position under subsection (a) or (b) shall be a career-conditional appointment, unless the employee has otherwise completed the service requirements for a career appointment. (d) Competitive status An employee appointed to a position under subsection (a) or (b) shall acquire competitive status upon appointment. (e) Time-Limited employees separated from service (1) In general This section shall apply with respect to an employee of a land management agency serving under a time-limited appointment who has been separated from service for reasons other than misconduct or unacceptable performance. (2) Application For an employee described in paragraph (1)— (A) this section shall apply as if the employee occupied the time-limited position from which the employee was most recently separated; and (B) a land management agency shall be deemed to have met the requirements under this section relating to the employee if notice is sent to the last known address of the employee not later than 21 days before a successor permanent position for which the employee is eligible is filled. (f) Regulations The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section. . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for part III of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item for chapter 95 the following: 96. Personnel flexibilities relating to land management agencies 9601 .

Summary: Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act - Makes an employee of a land management agency who served under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service eligible to compete for a permanent appointment in the agency if the original appointment was competitive, totaled a period of at least 24 months, and the employee's performance was at an acceptable level. Requires such an employee's appointment to a full-time position, if such a position is offered and the employee agrees to such employment, if the original position stated that there was the potential for the position to become permanent.