Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act
Summary
The Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act mandates that Executive agencies report to Congress and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regarding employees furloughed during lapses in appropriations. This includes data on the number of employees, their salaries, and the impact of the furlough. The goal is to provide greater transparency regarding the effects of government shutdowns on federal employees.
Expected Effects
This act will increase transparency regarding the impact of government shutdowns. It requires agencies to report detailed information about furloughed employees. This information will be made public via congressional committee websites and the OPM website.
Potential Benefits
- Increased transparency in government operations, specifically regarding the impact of funding lapses.
- Provides data to Congress and the public to better understand the effects of government shutdowns on federal employees.
- Potentially informs future budget decisions and strategies to mitigate the impact of shutdowns.
- Ensures accountability by requiring agencies to report detailed information about employee furloughs.
- The public can access the reports on congressional and OPM websites.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Increased administrative burden on Executive agencies to compile and submit the required reports.
- Potential for political misuse of the data to criticize or target specific agencies or employees.
- The cost of compiling and publishing these reports may divert resources from other agency priorities.
- The act itself does not prevent government shutdowns, it only provides information about their impact.
- The reports may not capture the full economic impact of furloughs on individual employees and their families.
Constitutional Alignment
The Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act appears to align with the principles of government transparency and accountability. Article I, Section 8 grants Congress the power to make laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers, which includes oversight of the Executive branch. The reporting requirements do not appear to infringe on any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).