0
COVID–19 Federal Employee Reinstatement Act
12/15/2023, 3:54 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1080
The bill outlines specific criteria for eligibility for reinstatement, including the employee having been separated from their position due to the pandemic, having served in the federal government for a certain period of time, and meeting any other requirements set forth by the relevant federal agency.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions for federal agencies to prioritize the reinstatement of eligible employees and to provide necessary training and support to help them transition back into their roles. It also prohibits agencies from discriminating against reinstated employees based on their previous separation due to the pandemic. Overall, the COVID-19 Federal Employee Reinstatement Act seeks to support federal employees who have been adversely affected by the pandemic and to ensure that they have the opportunity to return to their previous positions within the federal government.
Congressional Summary of HR 1080
COVID-19 Federal Employee Reinstatement Act
This bill requires federal agencies to reinstate or compensate former employees who separated from the agency due to COVID-19 vaccination requirements during a certain period.
Specifically, agencies must reinstate or compensate employees who voluntarily or involuntarily separated from the agency between September 9, 2021, and January 24, 2022, due to the COVID-19 vaccination requirements of Executive Order 14043. (The executive order required all federal employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. A federal court blocked implementation of the order on January 21, 2022. An appellate court reinstated the order on April 7, 2022.)
Employees may choose to be reinstated to their former position (or a comparable position) or to receive a payment that is commensurate with any lost pay during this time period. Employees who subsequently obtained a new federal position are entitled to payment that is commensurate with any difference in pay, if the new position pays less than the previous position. The bill also provides for the treatment of such payments or service with respect to taxes and retirement annuities, including allowing the months in which an employee was separated from service during this time period to count as qualifying service for purposes of retirement.
