Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act of 2015

Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act of 2015

Directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing individuals to the position of air traffic controller, to give preference to:

• an individual who has successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program (the program) and who has received from the institution either an appropriate recommendation or an endorsement certifying that the individual would have met the requirements in effect as of December 31, 2013, for an appropriate recommendation;
• a qualified individual who is eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment;
• a qualified individual who is an eligible veteran maintaining aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience;
• a preference eligible veteran; and
• a qualified individual maintaining practical air traffic control experience obtained at civilian installations of the Department of Defense, FAA air traffic control facilities, or contract towers of the FAA.

Allows the FAA to consider additional applicants only after completing consideration of such preferred applicants.

Provides that a preferred applicant shall not be subject to any biographical assessment as part of FAA hiring practices that apply to applicants for the position of air traffic controller. Directs the FAA to revise its hiring practices to eliminate the use of any biographical assessment that unduly disqualifies applicants. Provides for reconsideration of individuals who applied in response to the FG-01 vacancy announcement of February 10, 2014, who were disqualified on the basis of such an assessment.

Requires (currently, allows) the FAA to maintain the program by making new agreements and continuing existing agreements with institutions of higher education under which the institutions prepare students for the position of air traffic controller.

Directs the FAA to take into consideration any training initiatives for air traffic controllers that are locally developed at institutions of higher education participating in the program for use in establishing best practices nationwide.

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