NTEU Chapter 296
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  • House Releases Text of HEROES Act COVID-19 Relief Bill
    May 14, 2020

    House Releases Text of HEROES Act COVID-19 Relief Bill  

    SUMMARY:  The House released its version of the next bill to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, which includes provisions impacting federal employees.  

                Yesterday, the House Democrats released the text of Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act, the most recent bill to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, which includes several provisions to help federal employees.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has expressed a desire to wait and see if another bill is needed, while the House is expected to vote on the HEROES Act as soon as Friday. 

                Specifically, the bill would:

    • Require agency leaders to allow telework for all eligible federal employees during the coronavirus pandemic. The provisions would require agencies to expand telework by creating incentives to increase its use and disincentives to reducing it.
    • Allow federal first responders, including CBP Officers, to stay in their current law enforcement officer retirement plans even if they are unable to meet the physical requirements of their position due to exposure to the coronavirus and are moved to other jobs in the civil service as a result.
    • Create a presumption that the coronavirus was contracted in the workplace for employees whose duties require substantial contact with the public to ensure those employees will qualify for workers’ compensation.
    • Create a HEROES Fund that would provide federal employees with additional premium pay of $13 per hour, up to a maximum $10,000 for those whose basic pay is less than $200,000, for either those who have regular or routine contact with the public or those who must report to a worksite where social distancing is not possible and other preventative measures are not available.
    • Require zero cost-sharing (out-of-pocket costs) for COVID-19 treatment under the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program.

    The bill would also extend the emergency FMLA provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA) to all federal employees and amend the emergency paid sick leave provisions of the previous relief bills to eliminate the ability of OMB to exclude any


    occupations from coverage.  In addition, it includes provisions that would extend grace periods and increase carryover amounts of unused health and dependent care flexible spending arrangements as well as an opportunity for employees to change their election amounts.

    There are also several agency specific provisions in the bill, including language to provide additional funding for several agencies such as the Bureau of Fiscal Service (over $78 million to respond to COVID-19) and the IRS ($520 million for costs related to COVID-19 and the extended filing season).

    NTEU supports the pro-federal workforce provisions in the HEROES Act and will continue to work with members of the House and Senate to ensure passage so that federal employees are protected and are able to perform their jobs in a safe environment. 

                                                                                        Anthony M. Reardon

    National President


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    2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement

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