agency,” according to the meaning given that term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, but excluding the Government Accountability Office.
(f) “Grievance” has the meaning given the term in section 7103(a)(9) of title 5, United States Code.
(g) “Labor organization” has the meaning given the term in section 7103(a)(4) of title 5, United States Code.
(h) “Paid time” shall mean time for which an employee is paid by the Federal Government, including both duty time, in which the employee performs agency business, and taxpayer-funded union time. It does not include time spent on paid or unpaid leave, or an employee’s off-duty hours.
(i) “Taxpayer-funded union time” shall mean official time granted to an employee pursuant to section 7131 of title 5, United States Code.
(j) “Union time rate” shall mean the total number of duty hours in the fiscal year that employees in a bargaining unit used for taxpayer-funded union time, divided by the number of employees in such bargaining unit.
Sec. 3. Standards for Reasonable and Efficient Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Usage. (a) No agency shall agree to authorize any amount of taxpayer-funded union time under section 7131(d) of title 5, United States Code, unless such time is reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest. Agreements authorizing taxpayer-funded union time under section 7131(d) of title 5, United States Code, that would cause the union time rate in a bargaining unit to exceed 1 hour should, taking into account the size of the bargaining unit, and the amount of taxpayer-funded union time anticipated to be granted under sections 7131(a) and 7131(c) of title 5, United States Code, ordinarily not be considered reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest, or to satisfy the “effective and efficient” goal set forth in section 1 of this order and section 7101(b) of title 5, United States Code. Agencies shall commit the time and resources necessary to strive for a negotiated union time rate of 1 hour or less, and to fulfill their obligation to bargain in good faith.
(b)
- If an agency agrees to authorize amounts of taxpayer-funded union time under section 7131(d) of title 5, United States Code, that would cause the union time rate in a bargaining unit to exceed 1 hour (or proposes to the Federal Service Impasses Panel or an arbitrator engaging in interest arbitration an amount that would cause the union time rate in a bargaining unit to exceed 1 hour), the agency head shall report this agreement or proposal to the President through the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM Director) within 15 days of such an agreement or proposal. Such report shall explain why such expenditures are reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest, describe the benefit (if any) the public will receive from the activities conducted by employees on such taxpayer-funded union time, and identify the total cost of such time to the agency. This reporting duty cannot be delegated.
- Each agency head shall require relevant subordinate agency officials to inform the agency head 5 business days in advance of presenting or accepting a proposal that would result in a union time rate of greater than 1 hour for any bargaining unit, if the subordinate agency officials anticipate they will present or agree to such a provision.
- The requirements of this subsection shall not apply to a union time rate established pursuant to an order of the Federal Service Impasses Panel or an arbitrator engaging in interest arbitration, provided that the agency had proposed that the Impasses Panel or arbitrator establish a union time rate of 1 hour or less.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any agency from authorizing taxpayer-funded union time as required under sections 7131(a) and 7131(c) of title 5, United States Code, or to direct an agency to negotiate to include in a collective bargaining agreement a term that precludes an agency from granting taxpayer-funded union time pursuant to those provisions.
