Federal workers get a second chance: probationary credit restored after layoffs
S. 918 — Protect Our Probationary Employees Act · Filed by Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced Mar 10, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows federal employees who were involuntarily fired during their probationary period (starting January 20, 2025) to resume that probationary period if rehired by their former agency. Instead of starting a new probationary period from scratch, they only have to complete the remaining time they hadn't yet served. The provision expires January 20, 2029.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to restore probationary-period credit for involuntarily separated federal workers, protecting their job security and seniority rights during reinstatement. This is a straightforward employee-protection measure with no hidden mechanisms.
What the text implies
- The bill's January 20, 2025 start date targets employees separated during the current administration's early personnel actions, suggesting it is a direct response to recent mass federal workforce reductions.
- The four-year sunset (January 20, 2029) means the protection expires at the end of the current presidential term, limiting its permanence and suggesting it is a temporary remedy rather than a structural reform.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Federal employees gain a concrete protection against losing seniority and job security when involuntarily separated during probation—a vulnerable period when workers have minimal due-process rights. The bill restores fairness by allowing them to complete the probationary period they began, rather than restarting it and losing credit for time already served.