Labor & Employment (Public Employees) in United States

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 13, 2025

S 1068: Putting Veterans First Act of 2025

The Putting Veterans First Act of 2025 protects veterans, military spouses, caregivers, survivors, and reserve component members who work in federal civil service. It requires the reinstatement of those removed, demoted, or suspended between January 20, 2025 and the bill's enactment date, with back pay and restored benefits. The bill also establishes protections against future removals without proper justification, mandates regular reporting on military community employment, and restricts changes to VA operations like office closures, hiring freezes, and telework policies without congressional notice. Additionally, it requires VA to restore canceled contracts and improve transparency through weekly workload reports and published wait times for community care.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Employees

in committee · United States · House Jan 7, 2026

HR 6968: Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2025

HR 6968, the *Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2025*, provides $50 million annually (2026-2035) for federal grants to fund training programs using virtual reality, augmented reality, and similar immersive technologies. The bill directly affects eligible entities like community colleges, industry partnerships, and career schools that create career pathways for workers in high-demand fields, including veterans, individuals with disabilities, and those in rural areas or declining industries. Key provisions require grantees to align programs with state workforce plans, report on participant outcomes, and prioritize partnerships with employers hiring program graduates. The law aims to expand access to tech-enhanced training for economic self-sufficiency, with grants lasting up to 5 years and requiring public sharing of best practices.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Public Employees Workforce Development Emerging Technology

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 28, 2025

S 2204: Protecting America’s Diplomatic Workforce Act

S 2204 (Protecting America’s Diplomatic Workforce Act) sets strict limits on staff reductions at key diplomatic agencies, including the State Department, USAID, and the Peace Corps. It prohibits separating more than 50 employees in a 6-month period without congressional review, requiring agencies to submit detailed justifications covering mission impact, diplomatic engagement, and compliance with civil service rules. The bill mandates a minimum 60-day notice for affected employees and updates procedures for Foreign Service layoffs to prioritize performance and tenure. These changes aim to prevent sudden workforce cuts that could weaken U.S. diplomatic capabilities.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Employees

in committee · United States · House Feb 26, 2025

HR 1637: Protect Veteran Jobs Act

HR 1637, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, allows veterans who were involuntarily dismissed without cause from federal civil service positions between January 20, 2025, and the bill’s enactment date to seek reinstatement to their former role or a qualified position. It directly affects eligible veterans dismissed during this period and requires federal agencies to report quarterly on veteran removals, including the number and reasons for each dismissal. Agencies must submit these reports to specified congressional committees until January 20, 2029, when the reporting requirement ends. The bill aims to restore employment opportunities for affected veterans while increasing transparency around federal hiring and dismissal practices.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Public Employees Veteran Education Veteran Employment Veteran Housing

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 31, 2025

S 2605: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve recruitment and retention of the cyber workforce of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

This bill (S 2605) creates special hiring and pay authorities to help the Department of Defense recruit and retain cybersecurity professionals. It allows the Secretary to establish "qualified positions" outside regular civil service hiring rules, set pay up to 150% of top executive rates, and offer flexible benefits like sabbaticals or retention bonuses. The policy directly affects DoD cyber workers in critical technical roles, including new hires and current employees in converted positions. It requires an implementation plan, annual reports tracking hiring/retention metrics, and a Comptroller General assessment to evaluate effectiveness.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Public Employees Cybersecurity

in committee · United States · House Mar 10, 2025

HR 1989: Protect Our Probationary Employees Act

This bill adjusts probationary periods for certain federal employees who were involuntarily separated between January 20, 2025, and January 20, 2029. It allows eligible employees (those separated while on probation in an Executive agency) to count their prior service time toward a new probationary period when rehired into a similar position with their former agency. Specifically, the new probation period equals the original required duration minus the time already served in their previous federal role. The law expires on January 20, 2029, and applies only to appointments matching the employee’s prior position.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Employees

in committee · United States · House Mar 4, 2025

HR 1835: MERIT Act

HR 1835 (MERIT Act) provides reinstatement or compensation to federal employees who were terminated during a specific mass layoff period (January 20, 2025, through the bill’s enactment date). Affected probationary employees - newly hired workers on a trial period or not yet permanent - can choose to return to a similar position with matching benefits or receive a lump-sum payment covering the pay difference between their terminated role and any new federal job they held during the layoff period. Agencies must notify affected employees within 30 days and offer reinstatement or payment within 90 days, with employees required to accept or decline within 30 days to avoid losing eligibility. The bill defines "mass termination" as 15+ separations in a 30-day period by a single agency.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Employees Unemployment

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 10, 2025

S 914: Protect Veteran Jobs Act

S 914, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, allows veterans involuntarily removed from federal civil service positions without cause between January 20, 2025, and the bill’s enactment date to seek reinstatement to their former role or a similar qualified position. It directly affects eligible veteran federal employees and requires all executive agencies to submit detailed reports every 90 days to congressional committees, including the number of veteran removals and the reasons for each. The reports must cover the period from the bill’s enactment until January 20, 2029, and include specific data on veteran separations. This bill creates a formal process for veterans to regain federal employment and mandates transparency through regular agency reporting.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Public Employees Veteran Education Veteran Employment Veteran Healthcare

in committee · United States · House Jul 22, 2025

HR 4582: To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to clarify that organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition.

This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and federal employee leave rules to clarify that recovery from organ donation surgery qualifies as a "serious health condition." It directly affects private-sector workers covered by the FMLA and federal civil service employees. The key change adds "including recovery from surgery related to organ donation" to the definitions of serious health conditions in both the FMLA and federal leave statutes. This ensures eligible employees can use their existing family and medical leave benefits to recover after donating an organ, without requiring new leave entitlements.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Paid Leave Public Employees

in committee · United States · Senate May 15, 2025

S 1788: Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2025

This bill enhances Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs) operated by the Interior or Agriculture Departments to train underserved youth in conservation fields. It creates specialized wildfire and forestry training programs at CCCs, sets annual hiring goals (300 covered graduates per year for wildland firefighting roles), and allows direct hiring of graduates without standard civil service rules. The bill also establishes a housing pilot program using covered students to renovate federal housing for firefighters and other agency staff. These provisions directly affect CCC graduates (those who completed training) and current CCC students, aiming to build workforce pipelines for conservation and firefighting careers.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Conservation Forestry Public Employees

All labor & employment bills