The MANAGER Act would require every federal agency to conduct an annual survey of its managers. The bill expands the existing employee survey program (as restructured from the NDAA FY2004) by adding specific manager-focused questions about discipline, leadership support, training, workload, and morale. It also allows for narrative responses to each question. The definitions set in the bill designate who counts as a “Federal manager” (GS-13+ and those who supervise or manage, per 5 U.S.C. 7103). Additionally, the Office of Personnel Management would have 180 days after enactment to update regulations implementing these amendments. In short, the act aims to institutionalize manager feedback on disciplinary processes, leadership support, and related issues to inform management practice and potential reform.
Key Points
- 1Annual survey requirement for federal agency managers, added to the existing survey framework in NDAA 2004.
- 2New manager-specific questions addressing: leadership support for disciplining employees, confidence in the disciplining system, personal sense of support, training on discipline, time to observe and correct deficiencies before probation ends, and the impact of disciplinary issues on morale and retention.
- 3Survey must include an option for narrative (qualitative) responses in addition to quantitative options.
- 4Expanded definition of “Federal manager” to include GS-13 and higher with supervisory or management duties.
- 5OPM must update the implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment to reflect the amendments.