Thousands of VA positions at risk of demotion due to broadened classification review
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is currently undertaking a significant review of thousands of positions, aiming to ensure consistency in position classifications and potentially impacting employee pay and career advancement opportunities.
Scope and Status of the Review
This large-scale workforce adjustment, focusing on consistency in position classifications within the VA, is an expansion of ongoing efforts to optimize the workforce and reduce bureaucracy. The review covers a wide spectrum of VA positions, including Title 5, hybrid Title 38, and Title 38 occupations.
List of Positions Under Review
While a detailed, position-specific list has not been publicly enumerated, the scale of the initiative is substantial, with over 24,000 positions facing potential downgrades due to classification adjustments. These positions span across Veterans Integrated Service Networks and various VA facilities, reflecting the complex organizational structure of the VA workforce.
Impact on Employees
Downgrades in classification typically result in reduced pay grades for affected employees, potentially leading to lower salaries. Such classification changes may also affect career advancement opportunities by altering the official job series or grade levels, making it more difficult for employees to receive promotions without reclassification or reassignment.
Additional Context
The VA’s workforce is concurrently undergoing significant reductions, with nearly 30,000 staff cuts planned by the end of the fiscal year 2025. The emphasis on fair and consistent qualification standards means that classification reviews are designed to enforce proper alignment but may not necessarily be limited to downgrades—some positions might be upgraded or reclassified differently, depending on the review outcomes.
Limitations and Transparency
The exact methodologies, timelines, and criteria for the classification reviews have not been fully detailed publicly. Employees are encouraged to consult their Human Resources offices for specific information on how these reviews affect individual positions, as HR is the designated contact for qualification standards and classification questions.
The review process started under the Biden administration and has expanded under the Trump administration. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has stated that it received mailed notices about the consistency review last year. As of October 2024, the review has expanded to cover nearly 160 positions across nearly 60 occupational series, affecting approximately 24,444 employees.
It's important to note that employees who are downgraded as a result of the consistency review are entitled to mandatory grade retention for two years, followed by mandatory pay retention, under Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rules. The VA is committed to taking the appropriate steps to correct all impacted positions in accordance with appropriate OPM guides and standards.
The review is a "consistency review" required by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). VA classifiers cannot compare these positions to other positions, consider any qualifications the employee has that are not required to perform their jobs, or "account for how well an employee performs the work or the amount of work the employee performs."
In summary, the VA is actively conducting a large-scale consistency review of over 24,000 positions, potentially resulting in downgrades that impact employee pay and career advancement, as part of broader workforce optimization efforts amid ongoing staff reductions. The review addresses classification standards across many occupational series, with detailed qualification standards maintained by VA HR, and affected employees advised to seek direct guidance from HR offices.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reimagining their federal workforce by conducting a significant review of thousands of positions, aiming to ensure consistency in position classifications and potentially impacting employee pay and career advancement opportunities. This review, affecting over 24,000 positions spanning Veterans Integrated Service Networks and various VA facilities, is a part of ongoing efforts to optimize the workforce and reduce bureaucracy, with areas of focus including finance, business, and other VA positions.
