Legislation has been reintroduced in the House in the new Congress that would extend MSPB appeal rights to Postal Service employees.
There are approximately 7,500 mid-level management employees within the U.S. Postal Service do not possess the right to appeal adverse personnel actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board. According to the bill’s sponsor, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), this has resulted in an inequity among USPS employees and created unnecessary costs, and in some cases, prevented the disclosure of fraud, waste, and abuse.
“This is about ensuring a fair review process. All Postal Service employees should have the basic right to appeal an adverse personnel action,” said Connolly.”Unfortunately, up until now, some mid-level managers have been left exposed without access to MSPB appeal rights. Our legislation seeks to remedy this unintended carve-out.”
Connolly’s bill (H.R. 597) would extend MSPB appeal rights over adverse personnel actions to any Postal Service employee who is a non-bargaining unit career and non-career employee in a supervisory, professional, technical, clerical, administrative, or managerial position covered by the Executive and Administrative Schedule; and has completed 1 year of current continuous service in the same or similar positions.
Congressman David McKinley (R-WV) is a co-sponsor of the bill. The bill was last introduced by Connolly and McKinley in February 2017.
