A Republican proposal could put federal workers' job security at risk.
Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana introduced the Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act, a bill that would allow government agencies to hire new employees on an "at-will basis." That means employees can be suspended or terminated without notice and without cause.
It's an extension of President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to "drain the swamp" of established politicians.
The Washington Post reported on the proposal.
The bill does, however, state that civil rights protections that prohibit employers from holding people's age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and other factors against them will remain in place.
The proposal comes in the wake of a scandal within the Department of Veterans Affairs, which resulted in several dozen veterans dying while waiting to be seen by a doctor. It appeared that at least in some cases, federal employee protections prohibited the agency from firing people who were not fulfilling their job requirements.
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