DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on June 17, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the head of each component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on a quarterly basis, to submit to the Chief Human Capital Officer of DHS (the Chief): (1) the number of employees who had been on administrative leave, or any other type of paid non-duty status without charge to leave, for personnel matters for six consecutive months or longer; (2) the total cost to the component associated with such leave and paid non-duty status for the quarter; and (3) the average duration that employees are placed on administrative leave, or any other type of paid non-duty status without charge to leave, for personnel matters for a period of six consecutive months or longer.

Requires the Chief to: (1) maintain records of the number of such employees and the associated costs; and (2) determine appropriate actions to be taken by DHS to resolve any personnel matter objectively, appropriately, and expeditiously or to reduce the use of such leave and paid non-duty status in addressing any personnel matter.

Encourages DHS to leverage systems and operations in use on the date of this Act's enactment to implement this Act's requirements.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Chief to develop and implement a department-wide policy in accordance with existing federal guidance specifically related to the use of such leave or paid non-duty status for personnel matters.

Requires such policy to: (1) include the responsibilities of the DHS components for reporting information relating to such administrative leave and such paid non-duty status to the Chief, and (2) provide guidance on expediting the resolution of a personnel matter for which an employee has been on administrative leave or any other type of paid non-duty status without charge to leave for a period of six consecutive months or longer in an objective and appropriate manner.

(Sec. 4) Directs the Chief to submit a report after each calendar quarter of 2016-2018 on the number of DHS employees on such leave or paid non-duty status for personnel matters for six consecutive months or longer.

Requires each such report to include: (1) the costs to DHS associated with the placement of such employees on administrative leave or such paid non-duty status (including salary and benefits) for the period covered by the report; and (2) a description of any actions taken by DHS to resolve any personnel matter for which an employee has been placed on administrative leave or paid non-duty status without charge to leave.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov