Congressman Tom Barrett Calls on VA Secretary to Review and Reconsider Veteran Workforce Reductions
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins calling for a review of the agency’s workforce reduction process. The letter comes amid concerns that otherwise qualified employees, including many veterans, are being dismissed as part of the department’s broader staffing cuts.
In February, the VA announced the dismissal of more than 2,400 employees in probationary or non-mission critical positions, which included dozens of Michigan veterans working at care centers across the state.
“The Department of Veterans Affairs has a responsibility to those it serves to exercise the utmost degree of discipline when reducing the workforce,” Barrett wrote in the letter. “We must collectively recognize that any veteran who hangs up their boots and continues to serve their country at the VA is cut from a different cloth. It is incumbent upon us to treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve, even if separation is warranted.”
In the letter, Barrett asks Secretary Collins to:
- Review the agency’s process to guarantee only those who have truly underperformed and not met the expectations of their assignment are relieved of duty.
- Immediately consider reinstating individuals who were released despite meeting all performance-related expectations.
- Find ways to support those who are dismissed and make their transition to new employment as smooth as possible.
A full copy of the letter can be found here.
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