EQUALS Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]
In Committee
Summary
Would extend default federal probationary and trial periods to two years for most hires while giving preference-eligible appointees a one-year period. It would add certification checkpoints, notice rules, and new agency duties for finalizing appointments.
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- Competitive-service hires: would set a default 2-year probationary period and a 1-year period for preference-eligible appointees. Agencies must certify to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) within 30 days before the end of probation that final appointment advances the public interest and must give written notice if they do not finalize the appointment.
- Excepted-service employees: would create a two-year trial period with a one-year option for preference eligibles. Transfers, promotions, or reassignments keep the remainder of the trial, and reappointments after more than 30 days generally require a new trial unless the role is the same or substantially similar in the same agency.
- Agency and admin duties: vacancy announcements must state probation terms and any training or license triggers. Supervisors receive reminders at 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, and 30 days before the end date, and OPM must issue implementing regulations within 180 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Longer probation for federal hires
If enacted, the bill would make most new competitive- and excepted-service hires serve longer initial oversight. The normal probation or trial period would be 2 years, but preference-eligible hires (usually veterans) would get 1 year. Agencies would have to certify to OPM within the 30 days before probation ends that keeping the person "advances the public interest," and an employee could be terminated on the last day of probation if the agency fails to certify after giving written notice. Agencies must state probation terms in job postings, notify employees of performance requirements, and send supervisors reminders at 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, and 30 days before the end. The bill would also raise some appeal and adverse-action timing to 2 years of continuous service for most employees (1 year for preference eligibles). If an agency failed to file the certification because of an administrative error, the agency head could petition OPM within 30 days after termination to reinstate the employee; reinstatement within that 30-day window would allow backpay under 5 U.S.C. 5596. OPM would have to issue implementing rules within 180 days after enactment, and most substantive changes would take effect one year after enactment.
New probation rules for FAA and TSA
If enacted, the bill would add the new probation and trial period sections to the list of laws that apply in FAA and TSA personnel contexts. That change would make the longer probation and trial rules explicitly apply to FAA and TSA staff where that statutory list is used. This is a technical coverage change that takes effect when the amendment to 49 U.S.C. 40122(g)(2) is enacted.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Comer, James [R-KY-1]
KY • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27]
TX • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]
AL • R
Sponsored 11/12/2025
Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
NC • R
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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