Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Federal Hiring Improvement Reform and Enforcement Act” or the “Federal HIRE Act”.
Federal Hiring Improvement Reform and Enforcement Act
A BILL
To provide greater flexibility to agencies to make appointments to positions for which there is a severe shortage of candidates, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Federal agency appointment flexibility
In general— Chapter 31 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3116 the following new section:
“3117. Agency appointment flexibility
“(a) In general—The head of an agency may, without regard to the provisions of section 3304 and sections 3309 through 3318, appoint a qualified individual to a position within the agency that is in the competitive service and for which the head of the agency determines that there is a severe shortage of candidates.
“(b) Rule of construction—This provision shall not be construed as superseding or otherwise affecting any authority granted to the head of any agency under any other provision of law to make appointments without regard to a provision of chapter 33.
“(c) Agency defined—The term agency has the meaning given such term under section 551.”
Clerical amendment— The table of sections for chapter 31 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item related to section 3116 the following item: