HR3093-119

What This Bill Does

The REHIRE Act creates a temporary reemployment preference for certain removed career federal employees. Any federal employee involuntarily removed from the civil service between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2027 is deemed preference eligible for competitive-service appointments and receives five additional points above the employee's earned rating under 5 U.S.C. 3309. The preference does not apply to people removed from political positions, people separated on clearly documented charges of misconduct or delinquency, or people whose most recent documented performance review before separation was unacceptable or less than fully successful. The authority expires five years after enactment. The bill defines civil service, competitive service, political position, and preference eligible by cross-reference to title 5 and schedule C rules.

Who Benefits and How

Career federal employees removed during the 2025 to 2027 window benefit from preference eligible status in competitive-service hiring. Former civil service employees with acceptable performance benefit from five additional rating points when seeking competitive-service appointments. Federal hiring managers benefit from a clear statutory rule for evaluating eligible removed employees. Federal employee unions benefit from a reemployment tool for nonpolitical workers separated during the covered period.

Who Bears the Burden and How

OPM hiring policy staff must update competitive-service guidance and systems for the temporary preference. Federal agencies filling competitive-service jobs must apply the preference and five-point rating adjustment. Political appointees, employees removed for misconduct, and employees with poor documented performance are excluded. Other competitive-service applicants may face stronger competition from eligible removed employees with added points.

Key Provisions

• Creates preference eligible status for covered career federal employees involuntarily removed from January 1, 2025 through January 1, 2027.
• Provides five additional rating points for competitive-service appointments.
• Excludes political positions, documented misconduct or delinquency removals, and poor-performance removals.
• Terminates the preference authority five years after enactment.