{"id":31126,"date":"2023-04-13T16:50:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T16:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/04\/13\/lawmakers-demand-va-fire-substandard-staff-faster\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:14:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:14:37","slug":"lawmakers-demand-va-fire-substandard-staff-faster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/hr\/2023\/04\/13\/lawmakers-demand-va-fire-substandard-staff-faster\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers demand VA fire substandard staff faster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Veterans Affairs has tools at its disposal to lay off substandard staff much faster, but leaders are shutting down the authorities instead of using them, according to Republican lawmakers<\/a> and some outside advocates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics point to the ongoing three-year saga at the Loma Linda Healthcare System in California, where an internal investigation found a supervisor abused staff and showed up late for work, but still remains employed thanks to bureaucratic red tape and appeals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congress had approved the speedier process as part of accountability measures designed to quickly remove poor-performing VA employees<\/a>. But VA leaders say those new authorities have faced numerous challenges in the courts, limiting their scope and effectiveness, so the department is relying on old, time-consuming processes<\/a> to address personnel disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At issue are firing authorities given to VA management under the 2017 VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act.<\/a> The legislation was the culmination of years of debate on Capitol Hill regarding ways to speed up disciplinary actions against problematic workers in the department, which became a key talking point of President Donald Trump\u2019s 2016 campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\t