Federal employees would no longer have to work continuously in government for three years to attain career tenure under a proposal from the Office of Personnel Management.
Instead, individuals could have unlimited gaps where they work outside of government and still achieve tenure after totaling three years of federal service.
In the event of layoffs, tenured federal employees are favored to retain their jobs. Tenure also gives former employees reinstatement eligibility, meaning they don't have to compete with the public in future applications for federal jobs.
OPM says it proposed the revision after the Army brought to its attention the problem of military spouses who work for the federal government struggling to find new jobs when their spouses are ordered to relocate. The current tenure rule allows gaps in service to last up to 30 days, but it often takes longer than that for military spouses to find federal jobs in their new locations.
In reviewing its rules, OPM decided to do away with the requirement for continuous service altogether, not just for military spouses.
The continuous service requirement was established in the 1950s at a time when workers changed careers less frequently. The rationale behind it was to determine employees' level of commitment to federal service.
"OPM believes both sectors can benefit from the experiences gained from the other so individuals should not be penalized" if they leave federal service, whether they choose to or not, the agency says.
For more: - go to the proposal in the Federal Register
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http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/opm-wants-feds-get-tenure-more-easily/2014-01-07