Committee approves workforce flexibility bill

A House panel this week advanced a bill aimed at helping the government's recruitment and retention efforts by allowing federal managers more leeway to dispense bonuses and benefits.

The Federal Workforce Flexibility Act, passed by the House Government Reform Committee, would expand managers' options for awarding recruitment, relocation and retention bonuses and would provide more vacation time for members of the Senior Executive Service and personnel who join the government midway through their careers, according to Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., the chairwoman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on civil service and agency organization. The Senate passed a companion bill, sponsored by Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, two months ago.

"These provisions will give managers and employees alike more flexibility, and in general make the federal government an employer of choice," Davis said. "My hope is to see this very important bill move quickly through the House."

The bill would also allow federal employees who conduct work-related travel during non-business hours to be compensated. Earlier this year, the National Treasury Employees Union petitioned the subcommittee for such a measure.

The bill will "greatly assist those employees who take early morning or weekend flights in order to attend to business away from the home office, but don't currently get compensated for their dedication," Davis said.

Committee members removed from the legislation an amendment that would have eliminated "open seasons" at the Thrift Savings Plan because they were satisfied with a Senate bill that contains similar language. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced that bill last month.

Under the current system, members of the 401(k)-style savings plan must wait for one of two annual open seasons to adjust retirement contributions. New employees must join the TSP immediately after beginning work, or wait until an open season.

"We liked her version, and she's going to push that through separately," said Chad Bungard, a spokesman for Davis. "We're behind it, and we know it will pass when it's done. We don't need to put it in our bill when [the Senate version] can stand alone."

Bungard also said that House lawmakers want to make their Flexibility Act amenable to the Senate when the legislation goes to conference.

"The goal is for the Senate to be on board with what passes the House," Bungard said. "We want the Senate to be 100 percent satisfied with what passes the House, so they can just accept our version."