Spending Bill Includes Overtime Pay for VA Claims Processors
By
Bob Brewin
The legislation also provides an extra $20 million in hardware for the new electronic benefits management system.
The Veterans Affairs Department section of the 2014 omnibus appropriations bill approved by the House on Monday includes $90 million in overtime for disability claims processors along with an extra $20 million for computer hardware for the paperless Veterans Benefits Management System.
VA required up to 20 hours a week of overtime for its 15,000 claims processors last May to help cut the backlog. If the bill passes into law as expected, it will provide funds for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year.
The extra $20 million for computers is for upgrades “needed to achieve maximum VBMS system performance, now that VBMS has been installed in all [56] regional offices.”