Sheehy bill looks to bring ‘merit-based hiring’ to federal government
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) Saying the federal workforce operates under an outdated model, Sen. Tim Sheehy is looking to modernize government employment by emphasizing merit-based hiring and retention.
Sheehy last week introduced the Modern Employment Reform, Improvement and Transformation (MERIT) Act in the Senate alongside the bill's introduction in the House by Barry Loudermilk, R-Georgia.
Along with merit-based hiring and retention, Sheehy said the measure will also align the dismissal process with the same standards practiced in the private sector.
“It’s well past time for the federal government to stop operating like a runaway train to nowhere and hold itself to the same standards that millions of hardworking Americans in the private sector hold themselves to every day,” Sheehy said in a statement.
As written, the MERIT Act aims to revitalize the civil service system by addressing shortcomings in the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.
The bill contends that government “has strayed from the values and efficiency that citizens depend on” and fails to hold ineffective employees accountable. The bill would address “misconduct and poor performance,” prohibit union grievances and reduce procedural burdens when dealing with federal employees.
The measure comes as the Trump administration terminates thousands of federal workers across a number of agencies. More recently, Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, has ordered federal employees to describe their accomplishments or risk termination.
That order is being challenged by a group of unions who claim that the Trump administration's mass firings is unlawful. Sheehy didn't mention the cuts in his statement but rather, he defended the MERIT Act's efforts to modernize the federal workforce through legislation.
“This legislation is an important step toward bringing an end to bloated bureaucracy and restoring common sense and accountability in the federal government,” he stated. “The American people voted for serious reform in November, and I’m proud to lead this effort in the Senate to deliver on that mandate.”