The REHIRE Act would create a temporary hiring incentive for certain career federal employees who are involuntarily removed from the civil service. Specifically, for those removed between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2027, the bill would treat them as preference-eligible for appointments in the competitive service and grant them an extra five rating points under the standard merit system (5 U.S.C. 3309) when agencies evaluate candidates. There are notable exclusions (political appointees, individuals involuntarily separated for misconduct or delinquency, and those with an unacceptable or less-than-fully-successful recent performance review documented) and the authority would expire five years after enactment. The bill also provides definitions to avoid ambiguity about terms like civil service, competitive service, and preference eligibility. In short, the measure aims to smooth reemployment for qualified career staff who were involuntarily removed for non-misconduct reasons, by giving them a modest but potentially meaningful advantage in the federal hiring process for a limited period.
Key Points
- 1Time-limited hiring preference: Applies to career federal employees involuntarily removed from the civil service during 2025-01-01 to 2027-01-01.
- 2Preference eligibility and scoring boost: Eligible individuals are deemed preference eligible for competitive service positions and receive 5 additional points on their merit rating (under 5 U.S.C. 3309).
- 3Exclusions: Does not apply to individuals removed from political positions; excludes those involuntarily separated for documented misconduct or delinquency; excludes those with an unacceptable or less-than-fully-successful performance review prior to separation (documented).
- 4Expiration: The authority provided by the act expires five years after enactment.
- 5Definitions: Clarifies terms such as “civil service,” “competitive service,” “political position,” and “preference eligible” for purposes of the act.