Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act

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.