Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Improving VA Workforce Diversity Through Minority-serving Institutions Act of 2022”.
Improving VA Workforce Diversity Through Minority-serving Institutions Act of 2022
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop an employee recruitment strategy that includes partnering with minority-serving institutions, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Improvement to workforce planning and recruitment by Department of Veterans Affairs
Employee recruitment strategy— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall—
develop and carry out an employee recruitment strategy for the Department of Veterans Affairs that includes partnering with minority-serving institutions (as defined in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))); and
develop and carry out a plan to ensure that—
vacant positions in the Department may be filled from a pool of candidates that includes—
diverse leaders; and
diverse candidates identified for promotion; and
such positions are filled using promotion panels that comprise diverse evaluators, reviewers, or assessors.
Program— In developing the plan under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary may establish a program, in coordination with minority-serving professional organizations, to foster and encourage individuals from underserved communities to serve in the Senior Executive Service of the Department.
Report— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the progress made by the Secretary to implement the strategy and plan developed under subsection (a).