On December 2, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee favorably reported the Federal Supervisor Education Act (H.R. 5810), sponsored by Rep. William Timmons (R-SC), by a unanimous vote of 43-0. Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) offered an amendment to the bill that was adopted, leading to the unanimous vote of support. The bill is cleared for consideration by the full House of Representatives. Improving supervisor training has long been an FMA legislative priority.

“Agencies promote strong technical employees into supervisory jobs, and then send them in blind,” Timmons said during consideration of the bill in the committee markup. “That leads to low productivity, uneven standards and a system where good employees feel unsupported and bad employees rarely face consequences.”

Rep. Walkinshaw spoke in favor of the bill, as well. “I am a strong supporter of the goal of this legislation,” Walkinshaw said. “Almost all of the language will provide supervisors within the federal workforce the appropriate training and resources to ensure there are strong leaders within their respective agencies.”

Timmons’ bill would require initial training for all new supervisors (within their first year) and subsequent training every three years. Specifically, the bill would require agencies to work with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on:

1. 1. A comprehensive management succession program to provide training to employees to develop managers for the agency; and
2. 2. A training program that provides for training on actions, options, and strategies a supervisor may use in—

(i) developing and discussing relevant performance goals and objectives with the employee and ensuring the performance goals and objectives align to the mission and priority goals of the agency;

“(ii) communicating and discussing progress relative to performance goals and objectives, and conducting performance appraisals;

“(iii) mentoring and coaching employees and improving employee engagement, performance, and productivity;

“(iv) fostering a work environment characterized by fairness, respect, equal opportunity, and attention paid to the merit of the work of employees;

“(v) effectively managing employees with unacceptable performance, including training to understand the disciplinary options and procedures available to the supervisor;

“(vi) effectively using the probationary period to examine whether an employee has demonstrated successful performance or conduct to continue past the probationary period, and to assess the needs and interests of the agency with respect to the probationary employee’s final appointment;

“(vii) addressing reports of a hostile work environment, retaliation, or harassment of, or by, another supervisor or employee;

“(viii) meeting supervisor competencies established by the Office of Personnel Management or the employing agency of the supervisor; and

“(ix) collaborating with human resources employees to recruit, select, appraise, and reward employees to build a workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs.

The bill also creates a mentor program for existing supervisors to provide guidance and advice to new or underperforming supervisors. Notably, the bill requires instructor-based training to the extent practicable at each agency.

The committee also passed a bill, the EQUALS Act (H.R. 5750) that would extend the probationary period to two years from the conclusion of training, which would, at a minimum, double the typical length newly hired or promoted feds currently serve. The bill passed by a party-line vote of 24-19, with all Republicans supporting and all Democrats opposing.

FMA has historically supported a 2-year probationary period, and we supported that when the Department of Defense had a longer period in recent years. FMA continues to broadly support a 2-year probationary period from time of hire. While H.R. 5750 was also favorably reported, it likely faces opposition in the Senate.

Click here to follow the progress of H.R. 5750.