H.R. 2027: Returning SBA to Main Street Act

This bill, titled the Returning SBA to Main Street Act, aims to change the way the Small Business Administration (SBA) operates by relocating a significant portion of its workforce. Here are the main points of what the bill proposes:

Relocation of SBA Employees

The bill mandates that:

• At least 30% of the employees based at the SBA headquarters in the Washington metropolitan area must be moved to offices located outside of this area.
• This relocation must happen within one year of the bill becoming law.
• Employees who are relocated will have their pay adjusted based on the locality of their new permanent duty station and will not be allowed to telework on a full-time basis.

Selection of New Duty Stations

When determining new locations for the relocated employees, the Administrator of the SBA must:

• Encourage geographic diversity, taking into account rural markets.
• Ensure sufficient staffing across regions to improve in-person customer service.

Eligibility for Relocation

Generally, all headquarters employees are eligible for relocation. However, there is an exception for employees who are allowed to telework full-time due to disabilities. These employees will not be required to relocate but will still be counted when determining the 30% relocation requirement.

Reporting Requirements

The Administrator must provide a report within 180 days of the enactment of the Act detailing:

• The total number of headquarters employees.
• The number of employees who qualify for relocation.
• The plan for implementing the relocations.

Office Space Reduction

In addition to employee relocation, the SBA is required to reduce its office space for headquarters by at least 30% within two years of the bill’s enactment.

Telework Restrictions

After the bill is enacted:

• Full-time teleworkers based in the Washington metropolitan area will lose their telework status if they are not relocated outside the area within 180 days following the report submission.

Budget Justification Reports

The Administrator must also include specific information in budget reports submitted to Congress, such as the number of employees teleworking full-time and those assigned to permanent duty stations outside the headquarters.

Legal Provisions

The bill includes provisions about severability (if any part is found unconstitutional, the rest remains valid) and supersession (it overrides existing laws or contracts that conflict with it). It also states that there can be no legal challenges based on this bill.

Relevant Companies

None found