IIB 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4182 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 1, 2017 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to modify proba-
tionary periods with respect to positions within the com-
petitive service and the Senior Executive Service, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring a Qualified 
Civil Service Act of 2017’’ or the ‘‘EQUALS Act of 
2017’’. 
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR POSI-
TIONS WITHIN THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3321 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘The Presi-
dent’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsections (c) and 
(d), the President’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (e); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c)(1) The length of a probationary period estab-
lished under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall— 
‘‘(A) with respect to any position that requires 
formal training, begin on the date of appointment to 
the position and end on the date that is 2 years 
after the date on which such formal training is com-
pleted; 
‘‘(B) with respect to any position that requires 
a license, begin on the date of appointment to the 
position and end on the date that is 2 years after 
the date on which such license is granted; and 
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‘‘(C) with respect to any position not covered by 
subparagraph (A) or (B), be a period of 2 years be-
ginning on the date of the appointment to the posi-
tion. 
‘‘(2) In paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘formal training’ means, with re-
spect to any position, a training program required 
by law, rule, or regulation, or otherwise required by 
the employing agency, to be completed by the em-
ployee before the employee is able to successfully 
execute the duties of the applicable position; and 
‘‘(B) the term ‘license’ means a license, certifi-
cation, or other grant of permission to engage in a 
particular activity. 
‘‘(d) The head of each agency shall, in the adminis-
tration of this section, take appropriate measures to en-
sure that— 
‘‘(1) any announcement of a vacant position 
within the agency and any offer of appointment 
made to any individual with respect to any such po-
sition clearly states the terms and conditions of any 
applicable probationary period, including any formal 
training period and any license requirement; 
‘‘(2) any individual who is required to complete 
a probationary period under this section receives 
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timely notice of any requirements, including per-
formance requirements, that must be met in order to 
satisfactorily complete such period; 
‘‘(3) any supervisor or manager of an individual 
who is required to complete a probationary period 
under this section receives periodic notifications of 
the end date of such period not later than 1 year, 
6 months, 3 months, and 30 days before such end 
date; and 
‘‘(4) if the head decides to retain an individual 
after the completion of a probationary period under 
this section, the head submits a certification to that 
effect, supported by a brief statement of the basis 
for the certification, in such form and manner as the 
President may by regulation prescribe.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 3321(e) of 
title 5, United States Code (as so redesignated by sub-
section (a)(2)), is amended by striking ‘‘Subsections (a) 
and (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘Subsections (a) through (d)’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section and the amend-
ments made by this section— 
(1) shall take effect 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act; and 
(2) shall apply in the case of any appointment 
(as referred to in section 3321(a)(1) of title 5, 
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United States Code) and any initial appointment (as 
referred to in section 3321(a)(2) of such title) tak-
ing effect on or after the date on which this section 
takes effect. 
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR POSI-
TIONS 
WITHIN 
THE 
SENIOR 
EXECUTIVE 
SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3393(d) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘1-year’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2-year’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 3592(a)(1) 
of such title is amended by striking ‘‘1-year’’ and inserting 
‘‘2-year’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section— 
(1) shall take effect 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act; and 
(2) shall apply in the case of any individual ini-
tially appointed as a career appointee under section 
3393 of title 5, United States Code, on or after the 
date on which this section takes effect. 
SEC. 4. ADVERSE ACTIONS. 
(a) SUBCHAPTER I OF CHAPTER 75 OF TITLE 5.— 
Section 7501(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
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(1) by striking ‘‘or, except’’ and inserting ‘‘and, 
except’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘1 year of current’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2 years of current’’. 
(b) SUBCHAPTER II OF CHAPTER 75 OF TITLE 5.— 
Section 7511(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)(i) by striking ‘‘; or’’ 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ‘‘1 
year’’ the first place it appears and inserting ‘‘2 
years’’; 
(3) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘1 year’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2 years’’; and 
(4) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking ‘‘; or’’ 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’. 
(c) ACTIONS BASED ON UNACCEPTABLE PERFORM-
ANCE.—Section 4303(f) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘1 year of cur-
rent’’ and inserting ‘‘2 years of current’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘1 year’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2 years’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsections (a), (b), and (c)— 
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(1) shall take effect 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act; and 
(2) shall apply in the case of any individual 
whose period of continuous service (as referred to in 
the provision of law amended by paragraph (1) or 
(2) of subsection (b), as the case may be) com-
mences on or after the date on which this section 
takes effect. 
SEC. 5. REGULATIONS REQUIRED. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Man-
agement shall issue such regulations as are necessary to 
carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives November 30, 
2017. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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