(a) Not later than 90 days before exercising any of the workforce authorities made available under this chapter, the Administrator shall submit a written plan to the appropriate committees of Congress. Such plan shall be approved by the Office of Personnel Management.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(b) A workforce plan shall include a description of—

(1) each critical need of the Administration and the criteria used in the identification of that need;

(2)(A) the functions, approximate number, and classes or other categories of positions or employees that—

(i) address critical needs; and

(ii) would be eligible for each authority proposed to be exercised under this chapter; and

(B) how the exercise of those authorities with respect to the eligible positions or employees involved would address each critical need identified under paragraph (1);

(3)(A) any critical need identified under paragraph (1) which would not be addressed by the authorities made available under this chapter; and

(B) the reasons why those needs would not be so addressed;

(4) the specific criteria to be used in determining which individuals may receive the benefits described under sections 9804 and 9805 (including the criteria for granting bonuses in the absence of a critical need), and how the level of those benefits will be determined;

(5) the safeguards or other measures that will be applied to ensure that this chapter is carried out in a manner consistent with merit system principles;

(6) the means by which employees will be afforded the notification required under subsections (c) and (d)(1)(B);

(7) the methods that will be used to determine if the authorities exercised under this chapter have successfully addressed each critical need identified under paragraph (1);

(8)(A) the recruitment methods used by the Administration before the enactment of this chapter to recruit highly qualified individuals; and

(B) the changes the Administration will implement after the enactment of this chapter in order to improve its recruitment of highly qualified individuals, including how it intends to use—

(i) nongovernmental recruitment or placement agencies; and

(ii) Internet technologies; and

(9) any workforce-related reforms required to resolve the findings and recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, the extent to which those recommendations were accepted, and, if necessary, the reasons why any of those recommendations were not accepted.

(c) Not later than 60 days before first exercising any of the workforce authorities made available under this chapter, the Administrator shall provide to all employees the workforce plan and any additional information which the Administrator considers appropriate.

(d)(1)(A) The Administrator may from time to time modify the workforce plan. Any modification to the workforce plan shall be submitted to the Office of Personnel Management for approval by the Office before the modification may be implemented.

(B) Not later than 60 days before implementing any such modifications, the Administrator shall provide an appropriately modified plan to all employees of the Administration and to the appropriate committees of Congress.

(2) Any reference in this chapter or any other provision of law to the workforce plan shall be considered to include any modification made in accordance with this subsection.

(e) Before submitting any written plan under subsection (a) (or modification under subsection (d)) to the Office of Personnel Management, the Administrator shall—

(1) provide to each employee representative representing any employees who might be affected by such plan (or modification) a copy of the proposed plan (or modification);

(2) give each representative 30 calendar days (unless extraordinary circumstances require earlier action) to review and make recommendations with respect to the proposed plan (or modification); and

(3) give any recommendations received from any such representatives under paragraph (2) full and fair consideration in deciding whether or how to proceed with respect to the proposed plan (or modification).

(f) None of the workforce authorities made available under this chapter may be exercised in a manner inconsistent with the workforce plan.

(g) Whenever the Administration submits its performance plan under section 1115 of title 31 to the Office of Management and Budget for any year, the Administration shall at the same time submit a copy of such plan to the appropriate committees of Congress.

(h) Not later than 6 years after the date of enactment of this chapter, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an evaluation and analysis of the actions taken by the Administration under this chapter, including—

(1) an evaluation, using the methods described in subsection (b)(7), of whether the authorities exercised under this chapter successfully addressed each critical need identified under subsection (b)(1);

(2) to the extent that they did not, an explanation of the reasons why any critical need (apart from the ones under subsection (b)(3)) was not successfully addressed; and

(3) recommendations for how the Administration could address any remaining critical need and could prevent those that have been addressed from recurring.

(i) The budget request for the Administration for the first fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this chapter and for each fiscal year thereafter shall include a statement of the total amount of appropriations requested for such fiscal year to carry out this chapter.