[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1531 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1531


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              July 8, 2015

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide a pathway for 
  temporary seasonal employees in Federal land management agencies to 
 compete for vacant permanent positions under internal merit promotion 
                  procedures, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Land Management Workforce 
Flexibility Act''.

SEC. 2. PERSONNEL FLEXIBILITIES RELATING TO LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Subpart I of part III of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 95 the following:

   ``CHAPTER 96--PERSONNEL FLEXIBILITIES RELATING TO LAND MANAGEMENT 
                                AGENCIES

``Sec.
``9601. Definitions.
``9602. Competitive service; time-limited appointments.
``Sec. 9601. Definitions
    ``For purposes of this chapter--
            ``(1) the term `land management agency' means--
                    ``(A) the Forest Service of the Department of 
                Agriculture;
                    ``(B) the Bureau of Land Management of the 
                Department of the Interior;
                    ``(C) the National Park Service of the Department 
                of the Interior;
                    ``(D) the Fish and Wildlife Service of the 
                Department of the Interior;
                    ``(E) the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the 
                Department of the Interior; and
                    ``(F) the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department 
                of the Interior; and
            ``(2) the term `time-limited appointment' includes a 
        temporary appointment and a term appointment, as defined by the 
        Office of Personnel Management.
``Sec. 9602. Competitive service; time-limited appointments
    ``(a) Notwithstanding chapter 33 or any other provision of law 
relating to the examination, certification, and appointment of 
individuals in the competitive service, an employee of a land 
management agency serving under a time-limited appointment in the 
competitive service is eligible to compete for a permanent appointment 
in the competitive service at any land management agency or any other 
agency (as defined in section 101 of title 31) under the internal merit 
promotion procedures of the applicable agency if--
            ``(1) the employee was appointed initially under open, 
        competitive examination under subchapter I of chapter 33 to the 
        time-limited appointment;
            ``(2) the employee has served under 1 or more time-limited 
        appointments by a land management agency for a period or 
        periods totaling more than 24 months without a break of 2 or 
        more years; and
            ``(3) the employee's performance has been at an acceptable 
        level of performance throughout the period or periods (as the 
        case may be) referred to in paragraph (2).
    ``(b) In determining the eligibility of a time-limited employee 
under this section to be examined for or appointed in the competitive 
service, the Office of Personnel Management or other examining agency 
shall waive requirements as to age, unless the requirement is essential 
to the performance of the duties of the position.
    ``(c) An individual appointed under this section--
            ``(1) becomes a career-conditional employee, unless the 
        employee has otherwise completed the service requirements for 
        career tenure; and
            ``(2) acquires competitive status upon appointment.
    ``(d) A former employee of a land management agency who served 
under a time-limited appointment and who otherwise meets the 
requirements of this section shall be deemed a time-limited employee 
for purposes of this section if--
            ``(1) such employee applies for a position covered by this 
        section within the period of 2 years after the most recent date 
        of separation; and
            ``(2) such employee's most recent separation was for 
        reasons other than misconduct or performance.
    ``(e) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for part III of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item for chapter 
95 the following:

``96. Personnel flexibilities relating to land management       9601''.
                            agencies.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 7, 2015.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.