Senate Passes Hiring Reform Bill

The Senate late Tuesday approved legislation to streamline the federal government's hiring and recruitment process, forcing agencies to develop strategic workforce plans and fill job vacancies in no more than 80 days.

The legislation, passed with unanimous consent, would require federal agencies to develop plans to address hiring projections and critical skills gaps in the workforce, post job announcements in plain writing and provide timely notification to applicants of their application status.

Passage of the bill comes just one week after the Obama administration issued a presidential memorandum designed to overhaul the federal hiring process. Like the reforms outlined in the memo, the legislation would allow applicants to apply for jobs using only cover letters and resumes and would require agencies to fill vacancies within 80 days.