Loading…
H.R. 5750119th CongressPlaced on the calendarLatest action Apr 9, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
The EQUALS Act of 2025 would extend federal employees' probationary period from one year to two, with veterans keeping one year.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill would double the probationary period for most new federal "competitive service" hires from one year to two years, while veterans classified as "preference eligible" keep the one-year period. It also creates a new two-year trial period for "excepted service" hires, who currently have no standard trial period, and extends related job-protection deadlines and applies the changes to the FAA and TSA.
The bill affects newly hired federal employees and the agency managers who make hiring and firing decisions; it does not affect employees who already completed probation, and it excludes the Postal Service, Postal Regulatory Commission, and Congress.
Agencies would gain more time to evaluate new hires before jobs become permanent, but employees, including some veterans, could face a longer period without full job protections and risk automatic termination if agencies don't actively certify their continued employment serves the public interest.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: it was placed on the House floor calendar, and the official record shows no floor action on it since. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 524.