Office of Compliance Administrative and Technical Corrections Act of 2015

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)

Office of Compliance Administrative and Technical Corrections Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to revise its procedures for mediation and hearings.

The Executive Director of the Office of Compliance is required to:

• develop a master list of individuals experienced in adjudicating, arbitrating, or mediating the kinds of personnel and other matters for which mediation may be held, including, but not limited to, members of a state or District of Columbia bar and retired judges of U.S. courts; and
• appoint individuals (mediators) from this list. Currently, mediators are appointed after the Executive Director considers recommendations by certain organizations.

Between 30 to 90 days after the end of the mediation period, a CAA-covered legislative branch employee must elect either to file a complaint with the Office or to file a civil action in the proper U.S. district court.

The Executive Director must also notify all persons participating in a mediation, hearing, or deliberation of the confidentiality requirements and of the sanctions applicable to any person who violates them.

(Sec. 3) Any individual serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Office as of February 28, 2015, may be appointed to serve for one additional two-year term.

[114th Congress Public Law 6]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 129 STAT. 81]]

Public Law 114-6
114th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To make administrative and technical corrections to the Congressional 
   Accountability Act of 1995. <<NOTE: Mar. 20, 2015 -  [H.R. 1213]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Office of 
Compliance Administrative and Technical Corrections Act of 2015. 2 USC 
1301 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Office of Compliance Administrative 
and Technical Corrections Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. PROCEDURES FOR MEDIATION AND HEARINGS UNDER CONGRESSIONAL 
                    ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1995.

    (a) Requiring Mediators To Be Appointed From Master List.--Section 
403 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1403) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``after considering 
        recommendations by organizations composed primarily of 
        individuals experienced in adjudicating or arbitrating personnel 
        matters'' and inserting ``from the master list developed and 
        maintained under subsection (e)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

    ``(e) Master List of Mediators.--
            ``(1) Development and maintenance of master list.--The 
        Executive Director shall develop and maintain a master list of 
        individuals who are experienced in adjudicating, arbitrating, or 
        mediating the kinds of personnel and other matters for which 
        mediation may be held under this section. Such list may include, 
        but not be limited to, members of the bar of a State or the 
        District of Columbia and retired judges of the United States 
        courts.
            ``(2) Consideration of candidates.--In developing the master 
        list under this subsection, the Executive Director shall 
        consider candidates recommended by the Federal Mediation and 
        Conciliation Service or the Administrative Conference of the 
        United States.''.

    (b) Clarification of Deadline To Elect Proceedings After End of 
Period of Mediation.--Section 404 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1404) is amended 
by striking ``Not later than 90 days after a covered employee receives 
notice of the end of the period of mediation, but no sooner than 30 days 
after receipt of such notification, such covered employee'' and 
inserting ``Not later than 90 days, but not sooner than 30 days, after 
the end of the period of mediation, a covered employee''.
    (c) Notification of Confidentiality Requirements.--

[[Page 129 STAT. 82]]

            (1) Mediations.--Section 416(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
        1416(b)) is amended by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting the following: ``, and the Executive Director shall 
        notify each person participating in the mediation of the 
        confidentiality requirement and of the sanctions applicable to 
        any person who violates the confidentiality requirement.''.
            (2) <<NOTE: Applicability.>>  Hearings and deliberations.--
        Section 416(c) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1416(c)) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following: ``The Executive Director shall 
        notify each person participating in a proceeding or deliberation 
        to which this subsection applies of the requirements of this 
        subsection and of the sanctions applicable to any person who 
        violates the requirements of this subsection.''.

    (d) <<NOTE: 2 USC 1403 note.>>  Effective Date.--The amendments made 
by this section shall apply with respect to mediations and other 
proceedings which are first initiated after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 2 USC 1381 note.>>  ADDITIONAL TERM FOR MEMBERS OF 
                    BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE.

    Notwithstanding section 301(e)(1) of the Congressional 
Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381(e)(1)), any individual serving 
as a member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance as of 
February 28, 2015, may be appointed to serve for one additional term of 
2 years.

    Approved March 20, 2015.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1213:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015):
            Mar. 4, considered and passed House.
            Mar. 9, considered and passed Senate.

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