NW Atlanta News

Washington, D.C. (January 18, 2024) - In response to reports of a planned walk out by federal workers across multiple agencies in protest of U.S. support for Israel, Representative Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) has proposed a solution to address the issue. Loudermilk argues that federal workers who plan to walk off the job are abusing the trust of the American people and burdening those who faithfully serve the country in a non-partisan and unbiased manner. He suggests that these individuals should be fired, but acknowledges the challenges posed by the current civil service employment system.

Loudermilk has been working on passing the MERIT Act in Congress for several years, which he believes is a good starting point for reforming the outdated civil service system. The MERIT Act aims to create a more efficient and effective government by modeling employee dismissal after the private sector and reducing the time it takes to address misconduct and poor performance.

Under the MERIT Act, the Chapter 43 special process for acting against poor performers and bad actors would be repealed, as it is considered unnecessarily time-consuming. The Chapter 75 process for removal or suspension of employees and supervisors would be streamlined. Additionally, the MERIT Act would allow agencies to remove a senior executive from the civil service for performance reasons, rather than just demoting them to a non-Senior Executive Service (SES) position.

Furthermore, the MERIT Act authorizes agencies to order repayment of bonuses and awards when performance or conduct issues are discovered that would have prevented the bonus or award from being paid. It also addresses the retirement benefits of employees who are removed based on a felony conviction related to their official duties, eliminating the period of service during which the felonious activities occurred for annuity computation purposes.

In summary, Rep. Loudermilk's proposed MERIT Act is aimed at creating a more accountable and efficient civil service system. By addressing misconduct, poor performance, and the recoupment of bonuses and awards, the Act seeks to ensure that high-quality employees are empowered to fulfill their constitutional duties responsibly.