The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has fired more than 530 employees and suspended more than 200 others since President Donald Trump has taken office in January, according to a recent VA report.
The Adverse Action Report cites social workers, housekeeping aides and registered nurses, among various other positions, who have been removed from their posts since January of this year.
No names are listed; the organization, position, action taken and date effective are listed in the report, which is recent as of July 10.
The list “has been a way for the embattled agency to be more accountable and transparent about its employee disciplinary process,” U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin said, according to Fox News, which added that “the VA is the first federal agency to make this data on employee status public.”
“Veterans and taxpayers have a right to know what we’re doing to hold our employees accountable and make our personnel actions transparent,” Shulkin said, according to Fox.
The law makes it easier to “remove, demote or suspend VA employees for poor performance or misconduct,” according to Fox News.
It also authorizes the VA secretary to “recoup any bonuses awarded to employees who have acted improperly,” Fox News reported.
Additionally, the law protects those who might make a complaint against the department, as it prevents the VA from dismissing any employee with an open complaint.
Signing this Act was something Trump promised to do during his campaign for President.
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