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MERIT Act

H.R. 1835 Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10) In committee
Bill text PDF
  1. Introduced Mar 4
  2. Committee Mar 4
  3. Passed House Next
  4. Passed Senate Not yet
  5. To President Not yet
  6. Law Not yet
Where it stands
In committee, Mar 4, 2025Next: House vote
602d ago Mar 4, 2025: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Final votes
No roll callsNo recorded vote on this bill yet
Lobbying
1company, 3 filings
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Summary

This bill requires the reinstatement of certain probationary federal employees who were terminated during mass separations starting January 20, 2025, and provides them with back pay and benefits.

Sec. 2, Reinstatement of affected probationary employees: Each affected probationary employee is entitled to an appointment to a same or similar position at their former agency and a payment equal to the pay they would have received from their termination date until their reinstatement. If they already took a new federal job, they get the difference in pay for the period before enactment, and if they lost that new job, they get reinstatement plus additional pay until appointed. Payments are lump sums, treated as wages, and not subject to pay limits. Reinstatement bypasses normal competitive service hiring rules. Benefits must match or exceed those of the previous position.

Sec. 3, Notice and selection: Within 30 days of enactment, each agency must notify affected employees of their rights. Employees have 30 days after notice to accept or reject reinstatement; if they don't respond, they forfeit the appointment. Agencies must make the appointment within 30 days of acceptance.

Sec. 4, Separation treatment: Each affected probationary employee is deemed to have been involuntarily separated without cause from their previous position.

Sec. 5, Payment determination: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director determines pay based on evidence from the employee or other information. Employees have up to 60 days after notice to provide pay evidence. Agencies must share information with OPM.

Sec. 6, Reports: Within 60 days, the Comptroller General must report to Congress on mass terminations from January 20, 2025, to enactment, including numbers, reasons, and recommendations. Within 90 days, OPM must report on reinstatements, including numbers notified and accepted.

Sec. 7, Definitions: Defines key terms: 'affected probationary employee' as someone separated in a mass termination (15+ separations in 30 days) from a competitive, excepted, or Senior Executive Service position (not temporary) while on probation or with less than required service; 'mass termination' as 15+ covered separations (involuntary or voluntary with incentives) in 30 days; and other terms like 'former employing agency' and 'previous federal position'.

Summary of the bill text as introduced in House (Mar 4, 2025), generated by SecBot from the official bill text; the Library of Congress summary is not yet published.

Official record from Congress.gov, the House Clerk and the Senate; lobbying from Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Updated Oct 27, 2026.