Bill Overview
Title: VA Employee Fairness Act of 2021
Description: This bill repeals provisions excluding any matter or question concerning professional conduct or competence; peer review; or the establishment, determination, or adjustment of employee compensation from the applicability of collective bargaining rights for Veterans Health Administration employees.
Sponsors: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Target Audience
Population: Employees of the Veterans Health Administration
Estimated Size: 380000
- The bill targets employees of the Veterans Health Administration, which is part of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
- According to recent statistics, there are approximately 380,000 employees working for the Veterans Health Administration.
- The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, serving millions of veterans.
- Employees potentially affected by the bill would include medical professionals, administrative staff, and other support roles within the VHA who could gain expanded collective bargaining rights.
- Potential additional indirect impacts may include veterans receiving care, but they are not the direct target population of this legislative change.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily impacts employees of the Veterans Health Administration, who are predominantly based in the U.S. and employed in diverse roles, including medical professionals, administrative, and support staff.
- Given the size of the budget and the number of potential beneficiaries, the policy implementation might offer a moderate to significant positive impact on well-being for many employees by improving working conditions and offering better collective bargaining rights.
- Not all employees may be equally affected; those already satisfied with their employment conditions may observe minimal changes.
- The indirect impact on the wellbeing of veterans receiving care might be positive, as happier employees may contribute to improved service delivery, although this is not a direct outcome of the policy.
- To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the policy's impact, we aim to include perspectives from various roles within the VHA—from frontline healthcare providers to administrative staff.
Simulated Interviews
Registered Nurse (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might empower our voice in critical decisions, especially those affecting patient care and our working conditions.
- I've seen colleagues suffer due to unfair treatment, and stronger bargaining power could address such issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Administrative Assistant (Richmond, VA)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm uncertain how this will directly benefit my role, but any increase in transparency and bargaining might make it easier to plan my career here.
- I hope the policy will not inadvertently increase bureaucracy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Doctor (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I support the idea of fair bargaining, I worry about delays in decision-making that could arise from increased negotiations.
- If implemented well, this could enhance workplace harmony.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Licensed Practical Nurse (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This change is overdue; we need mechanisms to address pay disparities and workplace stress.
- I believe the policy could improve morale if it leads to tangible changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Healthcare Administrator (Dallas, TX)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this enhances operational efficiency by aligning employee expectations with organizational goals.
- Care must be taken to integrate these changes without disruption.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Psychiatrist (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Collective bargaining is important, but changes must not detract from patient care priorities.
- Looking forward to seeing how this might address our compensation and workload issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Health Records Technician (San Diego, CA)
Age: 39 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved rights might help streamline processes which are often too chaotic under current conditions.
- More training and clarity about roles could be possible outcomes of this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Social Worker (Miami, FL)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see this policy as a potential catalyst for change in how we deliver services to veterans.
- Improved bargaining could also enable us to better tailor our work practices to meet veterans' needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Dietary Specialist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could help balance the workload, ensuring more equitable distribution of duties.
- I'm cautiously optimistic about the impact on our work-life balance.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Veterans Health Advisor (Boston, MA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I have seen many legislative changes. The strength of this policy will depend largely on its implementation.
- Improved collective bargaining might not significantly impact my role, but it's a step forward for future employees.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $525000000 (Low: $475000000, High: $630000000)
Year 3: $551250000 (Low: $498750000, High: $661500000)
Year 5: $605256250 (Low: $547531250, High: $727650000)
Year 10: $738101936 (Low: $667103356, High: $887612850)
Year 100: $2075724418 (Low: $1872151976, High: $2490732006)
Key Considerations
- The scale of potential wage increases and additional benefits for VHA employees.
- The administrative costs related to implementing and managing expanded bargaining rights.
- Potential long-term advantages derived from improved employee morale and reduced turnover.
- The potential impact on labor-market equilibrium within the healthcare sector.
- Uncertainty regarding the magnitude of salary and benefit negotiations under collective bargaining contexts.